


Closed Gates and Sealed Fates

by Cameras_and_Moose



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016), mileven - Fandom
Genre: After Eleven (Stranger Things) Closes the Gate, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven & Jim "Chief" Hopper Parent-Child Relationship, Eleven (Stranger Things) Has Powers, Eleven (Stranger Things)'s Eggos, Eleven and Mike Wheeler are Cute, Eleven/Mike Wheeler Reunion, Eleven/Mike Wheeler-Centric, Emo Mike Wheeler, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Humor, French Kissing, Happy Eleven (Stranger Things), Happy Ending, Inspired by Stranger Things (TV 2016), Jancy, Kissing, Mike wheeler is bold, Mild Smut, Mileven, Mileven Week, Morning Cuddles, Protective Mike Wheeler, Reunions, Rough Kissing, Talking, Underage Kissing, Will Byers and Eleven Are Best Friends, karen wheeler - Freeform, later on, not yet, stancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-02-19 12:50:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 55,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cameras_and_Moose/pseuds/Cameras_and_Moose
Summary: A home is where you live. And Mike couldn't live without El.Starts when the gate closes and will eventually lead into a larger plot.





	1. Out of the Tunnels

**Author's Note:**

> This starts right after the gate is closed. Probably will be low key Mileven centric because they are my favorite on screen relationship ever! But I will try to expand on all characters to the best of my abilities. Hope you guys enjoy as much as I have enjoyed reading all the other fanfics! This is my first one so feel free to critique me! Love you all

Just like that, the demodogs were out of sight.

Without hesitation, the boys with the help of Max, quickly heaved Dustin out of the tunnels. Before any creatures born of the treacherous upside down could have a chance to change their minds and turn back for a quick snack.

Steve was harder to pull out. Seeing as he had no one to help give him a boost, like he had done for all the others. But, then again, he had enough arm strength from his basketball training to climb high enough up to get assistance.

"Quick grab my arms, and on the count of three, PULL!" Steve ordered, trying hard to avoid the clumps of loose earth threatening to fall on his face. Finally re-noticing the throb for the second time that evening and realizing he would be well aware of it for at least a few more hours, since he was out of adrenaline, and since his face was still swelling immensly.

The kids quickly arranged themselves to do as Steve asked. It took all four of them to get him out. Dustin and Max grabbing hold of his sweaty forearms. Lucas holding onto Max around the middle, and Mike onto Dustin.

"Ok, ready? One. Two. THREE!"

Immediately they all began walking backwards. The force of all their strength quickly yanking Steve out of the tunnels, and simultaneously catapulting them all backwards.

Max yelped in surprise as she lost her footing while being yanked rapidly backwards by Lucas, who hadn't yet let go of her. Mike grunted in pain as he too fell backwards. And then Dustin, being the last one to let go of Steve, fell straight back, right on top of Mike, audibly knocking the wind out of him.

Steve, having somehow managed to not get caught up in the chaos, was laying only inches away from the tunnels entrance. He quickly got to his knees. "Hey 's e'rybody ok?" He called, noticing all the kids had collapsed hard in an uncomfortable looking dog pile on the ground.

"Shit." Came the one voices.

"Is everyone alright?" Steve repeated more firmly.

"We're good!" The red headed girl quickly called. Her and Lucas sitting up quickly and brushing themselves off.

If he hadn't of known better, Steve would of thought he saw Lucas blushing. But then again, it was dark, so what did he know?

"OK good." Steve replied turning his head to examine the other pair still on the ground.

Again, he heard the first voice, looking around to notice Dustin siting up slowly. "Shit, I think I twisted my wrist." Dustin said more to himself than to anybody in particular, while slowly examining his arm.

Steve groaned audibly. "Well Dustin that's just great, but could you please get off of Wheeler?"

The curly headed boy looked around wildly, before looking down. He was indeed sitting right on top of Mike's stomach. Who, to Dustin's horror, had just let out a low moan.

"Shit. Shit!" Dustin eyes went wide as he quickly rolled off and held out a hand to Mike, helping him sit up. "Mike, man are you alright?"

"I'm fine... I'm fine," Mike mumbled.

"Ah!" Steve said collapsing back down on the ground with relief. "Good. Ok. Oh thank god." He all but breathed out.

For a moment everyone was silent. The wind blew softly, but it brought a chill that went shivering down everyone's spine. The leaves of the forest just beyond the pumpkin patch, rustling softly, making the only sound they heard.

"So... What now?" asked Lucas.

"Honestly kid, I'm not sure," replied Steve.

A note of something cautious in his voice bringing another brief silence to the group.

Max spoke up. "Well do you think we were at least successful? Since the demodogs ran past us and all?"

Everyone looked around.

"We had to have been. I think?" Lucas said earnestly.

Dustin nodded, looking at Mike. The silent, dark haired boy was sitting on his knees, rocking back and forth slightly, in a way that Dustin felt was the sitting equivalent of Mike's nervous pacing. You could practically feel the anxiety radiating off his skin.

The others must have noticed it too because at once everyone was standing up, gathering all other their supplies and taking them back to the car. At the exact same moment Steve began saying they better get back to the Byers.

"I'm going to be in so much trouble later," the guys heard him grumble as they finished rounding up their gear to take back to the trunk. Leading the kids to exchange knowing, slightly amused glances.

Then there was a light. Blinding.

It caught Mike's attention first, and he turned around quickly to stare at the blue car.

The head lights were painfully and unnaturally bright. Almost like daylight.

Then it hit him. It was supernatural. In a wave of relief that was instantly replaced by fear, like he had never experienced before.

Without thinking about it, he gasped.

Realizing it was her meant two things. Setting the tunnels on fire had not been for nothing. They had been successful. And the fact that this light was so blinding meant she had to be exerting her powers. She must be closing the gate. Hope and dread invading all of his senses, as he spoke her name like a silent plea.

"Eleven."


	2. Finding the Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Hopper and El chapter! Getting out of the lab.

"You did good kid, you did so good."

She vaguely heard his voice as everything turned to black, and she collapsed in his arms.

Hopper looked at the little girl, who lay in his arms with her eyes closed and had so many emotions flowing through him he didn't know how to reconcile. 

Through all the up's and down's they have had in their brief and very rocky relationship, it surprised him to realize how much he adored Eleven. 

He knew he cared for the kid, sure. But loved, truly and deeply loved. Well that was surprising to say the least. 

It was all too familiar. Holding the limp body of an exhausted girl. It was painful how much in this moment, El reminded him of Sara. 

"Both of my girls are so brave," he whispered knowing El couldn't hear him. He pressed a scratchy kiss to her forehead, before pulling back to stare at the girl.

He was still in shock. El had really terrified him to say the least. Closing his eyes, he could still see her levitating in mid aid. The gate closing as she pushed the shadow monster back behind its opening. He could hear her scream. Was it pain? Fear? It only made his heart ache for her more. She was so tough, it was frightening. Is that what 12 years of pent up anger will do? Was some of that anger his fault? 

Hopper opened his eyes quickly. But the memories of the past few moments still burned in his brain. So he turned his attention back to El, feeling hot tear's threatening to fall.

The black eyeshadow seemed even more smeared now than it did before. There was blood under both nostrils and out both ears. Something he had never seen from her yet, even during her last outbreak at the cabin. She was so much stronger than he realized.

And as he stared into her facial features all soft, unconsciousness taking away the crude determination and rebellion that had overtaken her expression's for too long, he suddenly saw the tenderness that was there when they met. When he took her in.

He thought of how El's small hand had taken his before she closed the gate. How she looked at him so confused when he danced. How she smiled when they ate eggos before dinner. How she had walked in the cabin and called it home. 

If the tears weren't falling before, they were definitely streaming down his face now. Because he knew deep down that, while she could never replace Sara, she was the new light of his life. She was his daughter too.

Hopper checked El's pulse. An inexplicable feeling of dread coursing hotly through his veins. He couldn't lose her now too. 

He felt the light, faint thumps and relaxed. 

Suddenly Hopper remembered where he was. Feeling the metal beneath his knees, the swinging of the scaffold. 

"The lab. Dammit!"

He had no idea how long he had been sitting staring at El. Had it been a few seconds or a few hours? He really had no idea.

Quickly he slung El over his shoulder, so he could use both hands to wheel the scaffold back up.

Reaching the top, he stepped out onto the landing and set El on the ground re-positioning his weapon and then scooping her back up into his arms.

He had to find Dr. Owens.

He backtracked his way through the stairwells. Thinking about how bad his legs were going to hurt tomorrow, this being the second kid he has carried out of there in one night. Why were there so many stairs?

Finally, he made it back to the landing where Dr. Owen was.

Dr. Owen, still conscious but barely looked at the girl now in Hopper's arms with fear in his eyes.

"Is she dead?" He gulped.

"No, no. Just passed out. Poor thing over-exerted herself."

"What did she do?"

Hopper looked down at El's face. The flashes of memories still on repeat in his brain. "She, um. She closed the gate. Which killed all the monsters too."

Dr. Owens took a deep breath. Unsure of what to say.

"And she has been with you for a year now?" 

"She has."

"OK I'll help you with her. But later on we need to talk about this, all of it. That way I know everything. Just in case." Dr. Owens said cautiously.

"You bet." Hopper looked at the man on the ground. "Listen thank you."

Dr. Owens nodded carefully.

"Look," Hopper continued. "I called for state backup here when I left the last time. I really need to get her out of here before they arrive. I just wanted to be sure you haven't seen anyone yet?"

"No, I haven't." Dr. Owen's replied tiredly.

"OK well I'm going to head out. Get El back before anyone has a chance to see her. They will help you when they arrive and will take you to a hospital. Do me a favor and give me a call when you get there. If I don't hear from you in 2 hours I'm coming back for you."

Dr. Owens looked at Hopper gravely, "Sounds fair, but if I were you I'd slip down the hall real fast and wipe the security footage. If you called in for backup and they see her with you, even if it is on the footage, your chances of hiding her are pretty much gone. Better for them to think all of the footage was lost when the power went out." 

Hopper agreed. "Your right. I'm going to set her here real fast. I'll be right back." 

So, Hopper ran down the hall to the surveillance room. Stepping over bodies along the way, both human and demo- whatever the kids had called it. Blood and slime was everywhere, and he had to be careful not to slip as he hurried along the corridor. Suddenly, he made it to the room and pulled open the door, gun in hand just in case. But there was nothing inside. So, he hurried in letting the door shut behind him. He made his way to the desk of screens and pulled the VHS tape out of the recorder before hurtling himself back out to retrieve El.

When he returned to where he left El and Dr. Owens, he found both passed out side by side on the floor. Dr. Owens had slid down the wall himself. With one look back at the doctor, Hopper scooped Eleven back up into his arms laying the vhs tape on her tummy and hurried off towards the entrance. 

The first thing he noticed when he got there was Bob. He felt terrible for leaving him to die. He really did. But there was nothing him or Joyce could have done about it without getting themselves killed in the process.

His heart hurt to see Joyce like that. This was going to be a long road for her. 

And with that final thought he stepped out into the night with Eleven in his arms. Suddenly wishing, as he made his was cautiously towards his car, that El had been conscious to witness them leaving the building that had been her hell for most of her short life, so he could watch her eyes while telling her that she was never going back.

Guess that'll have to wait till later; he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Next chapter (or chapters, I'm not sure if I want to divide this up into 3 mini chapters yet) will be about everyone's car rides back to the Byers. And my first look at Will, Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy. Also expect some Mike anxiety, and more Hopper and El. So should be a fun chapter (or chapters) to write. Then after that will come some good old mileven fluff! I'm SO looking forward to that! 
> 
> Feel free to leave comments, critiques, kudos, etc! Thanks again to all my readers! Until next time ♡


	3. Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Car ride home with Mike, Steve, Dustin, Lucas and Max.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So originally I had said I was thinking about doing 1 chapter about everyone's rides back to the Byers, however I decided to split that up into 3 smaller chapters instead. That way I could spend some time getting into everyone's heads a little better. I just feel like each group just survived completely different situations and so they are all mentally dealing with things differently too. Also it extends the story a bit. These chapters might turn out to be shorter than the previous chapters, (however they might not, we will have to see once I start writing) so if it turns out that way I apologize in advance! And with that I hope you enjoy!

While 10 minutes ago, everyone felt like they had won a giant victory, the excitement had already worn off. The air felt heavy. Everyone was sitting quietly in anticipation.

The ride back to the Byers was considerably more comfortable than the ride out to the tunnels. Steve took over driving, much to Max's disappointment, un-cramping the back seat immensely. A part of her felt vindicated, stealing Billy's car, driving it, carelessly wrecking it even. It was the only pay back that would maybe mean something to him. When was she going to get another chance like this? Yet, since Steve was no longer unconscious, there was no real argument she could make as to why she should drive. Especially after how much her driving had scared the living daylights out of Steve. So, instead Max resorted to a silent pout in the middle of the back seat.

Dustin took shotgun, casually talking to Steve every once and a while. Lucas and Mike each took one side of the backseat sandwiching Max. Lucas looking over at her just a bit to often.

Mike found himself suddenly confused about Max. Firstly, he wished she'd stop that stupid pout. It was reminding him of El, which was only making his stomach clench up with more nerves. But beyond that, he realized all the contempt he had held against her was slowly fading away. Since El's return, he could feel the ice that had frozen his broken heart, melting. Suddenly making room for... well he didn't quite know yet. But he certainly felt less hollow.

"Look," Mike said quietly, turning towards the girl sitting next to him.

Max turned towards him, slightly surprised he had addressed her, but also visibly preparing herself for an attack.

Mike continued, guiltily, and only loud enough for her to hear. "What you did back there, driving us out here, to help El... that was pretty awesome." He ran a shaky hand through his hair nervously. "Terrifying. But awesome. I shouldn't of shut you out like that, I know you weren't trying to replace El, but having you here when she wasn't, it hurt. And you can't really go through something like this without being part of the group. You've seen too much at this point... So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I can accept you being part of the party. If you want that is?" Mike looked up at her face for the first time since he began talking.

Max was stunned. "Are you... are you apologizing?" She gaped.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Mike gulped anxiously.

"Wow. Did not see that coming." Max said. "But I'm glad you did. So- um, thanks. Yes, I would like to be in the party." Her face twisted into a small smile.

"Ok, um cool." Mike said, now very awkward. So, he turned back around and pressed his cheek against the cold glass of the window.

"...and it was so awesome how the Demo dogs just ran around us. I thought we were going to die for a second there but," Mike heard Dustin excitedly saying to Steve.

"Um no. That was not cool. It was terrifying. How about we keep that bit on the down low, cause if Nancy or the Chief find out how close I was to letting you twerps get killed, I'm going to be skinned alive."

"Oh, stop being such a baby." Lucas teased from the back seat.

"Hey, I'm not the one that screamed like a little girl about an hour ago, so watch who you're calling a baby Sinclair." Steve retorted.

The car was starting to become more lively.

"Oh my god!" Dustin said, now laughing, "You totally called Mike, Nancy when you were coming to."

"Yeah- that was gross man. What the heck?" Mike grumbled moodily.

"Thanks Dustin, I was trying to forget..." Steve replied gripping his forehead in embarrassment.

"No problem buddy." Dustin said with a toothy grin. At that, the car got quiet again.

"Do you think Will is ok?" Max asked.

"He has to be. I mean, El wouldn't close the gate if he was still in danger." Mike answered hesitantly.

"Are you sure about that? I mean we watched her kill all those Hawkins lab people last year with no hesitation. If shit got bad, you're sure she wouldn't close it for everyone else's safety?" Asked Lucas. The way he spoke was slow and cautious, as if he was scared of voicing this out loud.

Mike responded immediately. "She'd never do that. I know it." His tone so painfully defensive he felt the inaudible wince that followed his words.

His heart hurt. He was couldn't believe that he'd actually let her go again. If anything happened to her this time around, he knew he'd never be able to forgive himself. He had to see her. He just had to. The longer he waited the more scared he felt.

"You know, she looks so different from the last time we saw her, I can't believe it." Dustin said. "She looks like a whole new person."

"What did she look like before?" Max asked.

"Well first off, she had buzzed hair." Lucas began.

"Yeah, all the times I'd pictured her since, I never pictured her with hair," Dustin commented.

"Me neither," Mike breathed. He found himself picturing Eleven. Wishing he had reached up and touched her hair. Wishing he'd used it to pull her face to his before she left, when her face was so close to his. She tried to kiss him. Actually tried. Does she know what that means now?

"And we had to give her old clothes that way no one would notice any clothes were missing." Dustin said with a sad laugh. "So, she ended up wearing one of Nancy's old dresses."

"Baby pink with a white collar." Lucas interjected.

"Yeah, and she wore my white knee socks with yellow and green stripes at the top." Mike added.

"And she wore one of Mike's old blue coats, and some white converse." Lucas added again.

"There was one time we even sneaked her into the middle school with a blonde wig," Dustin reminisced. "We said she was Mike's second cousin from Sweden."

At this Mike snorted out a laugh. His first one of the evening.

_Cousin? Oh, how times had changed._

"And she had this look on her face like she was scared of everything. Hell, she didn't even know what a friend was when we met her." Lucas said.

"Seriously?" Max questioned.

"Yeah, it's true." Mike answered.

"And now she just looks..." Dustin began.

"Bad ass." Mike finished.

"Yeah," Dustin agreed.

"She looks almost fierce. Like nothing scares her anymore." Lucas commented.

"Determined." Mike added, nodding slowly.

"And did you notice that she can say full sentences now?" Dustin said excitedly. "I'd never thought I'd say this, but for her that's kind of weird!"

"Its going to take some getting used to. That's for sure." Lucas agreed.

Mentally, Mike did too. He'd been so caught up in his excitement of her being home that his brain hadn't had a chance to absorb any of these details yet. Suddenly he felt nervous. If she is so different, would she still like him?

Obviously, someone was feeling similarly, because Max took the moment to pipe up and ask the question that had been burning her insides. "When I introduced myself, she blew me off. Acted like I wasn't even there. Do you think she hates me? I mean, what could I have done anyways?"

"She's probably just scared. I mean, strangers have been enemy's to her for her entire life. Just give her time. I'm sure she'll come around. We weren't to fond of each other at first either, but we worked everything out in the end." Lucas said swiftly. It must of been the right thing to say because at that Max relaxed, slumping back down in her seat.

"Also what was with the blood?" Max questioned.

"Oh, that happens to her when she uses her powers for anything that takes some effort." Mike answered swiftly.

"Just so I know, what exactly can she do?" Steve inquired.

Mike ran a hand though his hair again. "Well, she has telepathy, telekinesis, and she can find people located anywhere in the world or in other dimensions, and if it really comes down to it, she can kill too."

"Damn." Steve said slowly. "Remind me never to get on her bad side."

"Don't worry, she is sweet. She'd never hurt you unless you tried to take her back to the lab or something." Mike said hurriedly. The last thing he wanted was to make Steve scared of her. Eleven had to deal with that enough for one life time.

"Well that's a relief." Steve said quickly, making a turn off of the main road, hurtling them past several open fields of farm land.

"What was she wearing though?" Lucas joked. "She looks so intense!"

"Yeah, I wonder if that's how she dresses all the time now." Dustin added.

"If so, I'm surprised Chief let's her." Steve commented.

"Did you hear how the chief and her talked? It sounded pretty bitter to me." Max commented.

"Yeah, I'm curious about that myself. Speaking of which, can you believe the chief's been hiding her for a year?" Dustin asked.

"No," Mike said bitterly. He'd still not quite forgiven the Chief for that one.

"Shit. Sorry Mike. How you doing with all that?" Dustin replied with a guilty expression.

Mike shrugged. It was a while before he spoke. "Honestly, now that she's back I want answers. How did she get out of the upside down? When did she get back? Where has she been? I mean I know she's been with the chief and all, but still. Is she happy? What's she been doing? Everything I guess. It's ok if she doesn't tell me it all at once though. She's never been much of a talker." Mike felt himself beginning to ramble but he couldn't stop. "Well I guess that was before. Who knows, she might be now. How did she hear me every night? Did she miss me?" A tear slipped down his cheek.

"Woah, slow down their tiger. She definitely missed you. Could you not tell how she looked at you, and hugged you? You were the first person she could see. Girls only do that when they really like someone." Steve trailed off staring at the road with a far away look. Luckily none of the kids noticed.

Mike felt a hand on his knee. He looked up. Lucas was looking at him now. Studying him. "She's going to be ok you know." Lucas said. Obviously, the root of the problem was not hard to spot. It was the magic words. Mike couldn't take it anymore. He broke down. Letting the silent tears fall into his lap the entire rest of the way back to the Byers. The fear for Eleven the girl of his dreams, and Will his best friend; suddenly too much for him to handle. Tears stung his eyes and rolled down his cheeks like fire, but not a single sound escaped his mouth. Everyone pretended not to notice, thank God. Mike's not sure he could handle it if they tried to comfort him right now. He needed to grieve.

Max couldn't help but look over at Mike, and it clicked.

_He really loves her._

Before they knew it they were turning back into the Byers drive way.

"Looks like we are the first ones back." Steve said. "So since we don't know what's going on, and you shit heads have already taken me against my will tonight, I'm ordering you guys to stay inside with me until we get an update. Does everybody understand?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Seeing as they had no idea what was going on anyways, they had no idea how to help. At this point, waiting seemed like the most logical option.

Steve continued, "Ok good. Now I want everyone to follow me inside and stay behind me. Just in case I have to deal with Billy again. Got it?"

Another chorus of nods. "Alright, then in we go," and with that Steve twisted the door knob and ever so slowly stepped inside. Looking around cautiously as he went. Everyone filed in behind Steve as silently as they could. Trailing him by at least 3 paces as they followed him into the kitchen with baited breath.

Billy was still on the floor where they left him, still knocked out from the drug. Thinking fast, Steve knew he had to get Billy out of the house to keep the kids safe. He pulled Billy's keys back out of his pocket and quickly swung Billy over his shoulder.

"Quick, somebody get the door," Steve barked out, trying not to collapse under Billy's weight. Max being the closest to the door, and the most eager to get him out of the house ran over and swung the door open. She watched from the house as Steve carried her brother out to his car, threw the keys down in his lap, and closed the car door on him. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around to see Dustin.

"That's the end of him, you'll see. When he comes to, he will drive away." Mike came into view next. "We promise," he nodded. And next thing she knew, Lucas was hugging her, quickly followed by the other two boys. "Hey assholes, get out of the doorway, you can hug in the hall, but it's freezing out here now." Steve called.

The group broke apart awkwardly. Steve and Lucas heading off to fix the mess Billy created in the kitchen. Lucas feeling a bit guilty for being the cause of further destruction to Joyce Byers' home. Dustin strode off with Max, deciding to get some hot tea and coffee ready for when everyone else got back, assuming they would probably need something.

Mike strode over to the couch, sitting down carelessly. Anxiously he bounced his leg on rapid fire, staring at the opposite wall. His brain only thinking of Eleven.

 _I made a mistake._  He thought bitterly. She had to come back. _"Come back El. You heard me before, so if you can hear me now, please be safe and come back soon."_ he whispered desperately.

He took a deep breath.

_"I love you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh I just love Mike's character. Not to brag but he reminds me very much of my current bf who I've been dating for almost 8 years now, and he's really the dream so, how can I not love him!
> 
> I hope you all had a great Holiday! I sure did! I spend Christmas with my friends, sister, and my parents every year because my family is so tiny and the age gaps too big, that my parents and friends are more family than my actual family. So it was a lovely holiday. Feel free to comment how yours went! 
> 
> It may be a bit before my next update. Tomorrow family that I havent seen since I was 6 are coming in town and we are having a get together, then afterwards my friends and i are doing our new years eve thing before half of our friends go back out of town for college. I'm also a wedding photographer and have a wedding in Indianapolis on the 29th and a wedding in Evansville on new years eve (which I'm super excited for). Feel free to check me out, it's Neeley Photography on Facebook. (Not the one in Texas, but the one in Indiana). So I think my next chapter will come out right after new years. Unless writing this one gets me super inspired and I can't stop. But if you guys want to see it sooner comment and let me know and I'll try to crank something out one night instead of sleeping ;).
> 
> So since I'm still so new at this all feel free to keep commenting and critiquing! I really appreciate all of you who have done it so far. It really is the best way to learn. Kudos and bookmarks are always appreciated too though! Also I just got a new phone so I'm still getting used to typing on it. The keys are a bit more spaced apart. So if there are more spelling or grammar errors because of that I'm sorry feel free to point them out and I will go back and fix them. I'm going to proof read before hand but I don't always catch everything.
> 
> Next chapter will be about Will, Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy because I feel like chronologically they would be the next to leave, and I also haven't dealved into their part of the story yet. Then the chapter after that will be about Eleven and Hop. Then after that the reunion.
> 
> I'm also excited because today an idea finally popped in my head for a larger plot beyond this, like a possible season 3 idea sort of thing. I just got to figure out how to get their. But hooray for ideas right? Lol anyways. Thanks for reading and until next time! ♡


	4. Recovery

To say Joyce was tired, was a massive understatement. To say the least!

She had no idea when they had arrived at the tiny cabin. But she wasn't ready to move just yet either. She had just been through too much... She squeezed Will to be sure it was all real, and when he squeezed back she relaxed, letting go of the comfortable group hug on the bed, slumping against the headboard.

Jonathan also let go of his little brother and slowly stood up. Rounding the corner of the bed he went to stand in front of Nancy, who was staring quizzically at the lamp that had previously just flooded the whole cabin with rays of light. 

She looked up, shaking the thoughts out of her head for the time being. "Hey..." She grabbed one of his still shaking hands tenderly. Concern filling her eyes, and mouth square. "How are you feeling?"

Jonathan tried to smile, but it didn't even come close to reaching his eyes.

Nancy looked back over her shoulder at Joyce and Will. Both had drifted off, for what she was sure was a much needed nap after all the emotional excitement. So quietly she stood up and guided them to the tiny bedroom off to the side and wrapped her tiny arms around Jonathan.

He sighed shakily but took in the scent of Nancy's hair. After a few minutes, he pulled back.

"Thanks." He whispered.

"Mhmm," Nancy sighed.

"No really. I couldn't of done this without you. I mean if you wouldn't of stopped me, I... I could,  I could of killed Will. He would of died and, and... and it would of been MY fault!"

"Jonathan,"

"Really Nance, if you weren't here..." he squeezed her again tightly. "Thank you."

Nancy didn't know what to say. Hell, she didn't even know what to think. So she pulled Jonathan down to sit next to her on the bed, in a silent embrace. 

After what was probably 20 minutes, Nancy looked around. She noticed a stuffed animals and some books laying around. Then she looked back at Jonathan. 

He pressed a kiss to her temple. "You're so beautiful." He whispered. 

Nancy smiled back. Atmosphere becoming more pleasant in the cozy little room.

"I better go check on my mom, she can't be doing so well, and I'm sure she'll be wanting to get back home soon. Check in with everyone else." Jonathan said in a voice that was much more calm than it was a few minutes ago.

"You're right," Nancy agreed.

Both teens got to their feet and headed back towards the main room.

"Mom?" Jonathan shook Joyce's shoulders tenderly. "Mom?... MOM?"

"Huh?" She began to stir. "What happened. Is everything alright?" Joyce shot up, much more alert.

"N-nothing." Jonathan stammered slightly alarmed. "I just figured you'd be wanting to get back to the house soon. I mean we did leave Steve in charge of all the other kids and I'm sure that light had something to do with Eleven..." Jonathan trailed off.

"No you're right." Joyce said slowly.

Jonathan couldn't help see how tired his mom's eyes were.

"Should we wake him?" Joyce asked Jonathan, looking over softly at Will.

"No. I don't think so. He's been through so much. Let him sleep." Jonathan replied.

Joyce stood up carefully, trying her best to avoid waking Will. Once she was next to the teens she looked around the cabin again, finally taking in where they were at. 

"So do you think this is where him and El have been staying then?" She asked.

"Must be," Nancy answered. "I mean I did see a stuffed animal and some books in the other room."

Joyce took a while to respond. "Poor things, I can't imagine what the 2 of them have been dealing with," she said sadly. "Look at the state of this place. And to hide her for, well, however long he has had her. That can't be easy on either of them. When all this is done, we need to be sure we are there for them both. Whatever they need." 

Jonathan and Nancy nodded. 

Nancy couldn't help feel sad for all of them. Her brother included.

"Alright then, let's get everything together before we grab Will."

Just like that they were all bustling about the tiny cabin, grabbing a heater here and some ropes there, all trying not to bump into each other all the while.

Joyce preferred it this way, keeping herself busy. It helped her keep her mind clear. She dreaded the car ride home. Where idle hands would not be a distraction to her mind. 

The last thing she wanted to do, was think.

But soon enough, there was nothing left to do. Jonathan was grabbing Will, and carrying him towards the car, so Joyce just followed. Numbly hopping in the car. Jonathan gently set Will in her lap and ran around to the other side, Nancy trailing behind by a few steps. Next thing, they were pulling out and quickly driving away. 

Joyce gently swept the hair out of her youngest son's eyes. 

Half of her was sad for Bob, but she forced herself to push that away for now. She would grieve later. They had won a victory. Her son was ok. Will was fine, so for the moment at least, while she pressed her head against the cold window, so was she.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, I struggled writing this chapter. Finding the motivation for it was hard. I struggle getting into Nancy's head and I am not really a depressed person, nor do i have kids, so it's hard for me to imagine what Joyce must be feeling. So that's what it's taken so long for this chapter to come out.
> 
> Feedback would be appreciated. If you want me to go back and fix anything (this chapter, or previous ones) let me know! 
> 
> On the other hand, I'm very excited for these next few chapters!
> 
> See you all very soon with another update!


	5. The Stragglers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and El make their way back.

"Come back El." The words sounded with an echo, but it took a while before Eleven realized she was being spoken to. Closing the gate had left her very groggy. She opened her eyes slowly.

She looked down. Upon seeing her own reflection, she realized was in the ever familiar void.

Still too confused to realize what was going on, she took the moment to stare down at herself in the water. It was the first time she had really taken a good look at herself since Kali had given her the makeover.

'I'm a mess.' she thought.

Four lines of blood trailed down from her nose, and two more trails coming from her ears. Her face was dirty too. And her eyes were horrible. Black powder smudged everywhere lightly, but the corners and the bags under her eyes were purplish. The strain from using her powers having bruised the areas. Her hair, while still slicked back, felt greasy. A few hours ago it made her feel bitchin', but now she just felt gross. Thus she decided, slicked back hair would be an every once and a while thing. Maybe once or twice a week?

Half of her wished the water on the floor wasn't just in her mind, so she could refresh herself. But that's not how it worked and she knew it.

Her head was throbbing so hard, it hurt to look at herself any longer. So she looked back up to the endless expanse of blackness in front of her, un-focusing her eyes.

Suddenly, she heard the voice again. She was much less groggy now, but she was still so exhausted. Getting up to follow the voice was a serious challenge.

Slowly, she rose from where she sat, and swiveled around to look behind her; trying to maintain her balance all the while, feeling quite dizzy.

Steadily, one foot in front of the other, she made her way towards the sound, which was growing louder with each step.

Water lightly splashing around her ankles.

"You heard me before, so if you can hear me now, please be safe and come back soon." The boy whispered desperately.

He was sitting alone on the Byer's squashy sofa, bouncing his one leg so quickly the water on the floor made a miniature wave pool around him.

His face was pale, frown deep with worry and a single tear dripping down his left cheek.

Eleven thought the tear, while sad, made his face sparkle. She just wanted to touch it. Wipe it away, lean her head on his shoulder maybe.

But she abstained from touching his pale skin so she could keep looking at him.

"Oh Mike," She whispered back sadly.

She sank onto the couch, opposite of him, curling up into a tiny ball. Arms wrapped tightly around her knees.

She felt terrible. She had left Mike and it caused him so much pain. It was obvious she had hurt him. She had never meant to hurt Mike. But somehow she managed to anyways. The guilty feeling in her gut making her want to blanch.

"What can I say to make this all better?" She asked the un-hearing Mike slowly. She was suddenly terrified. Would he be mad at her for leaving him? How could she ever make that ok?

He took a deep breath, causing Eleven to look back up at his face.

 _"I love you."_ A happiness like she had never experienced fluttered through her. _'Love,' _she knew that word from all the soaps she watched and books she read. _'He loves me!'___

 And then Mike was gone. Actually everything was gone, replaced by blackness.

 The first thing El that realized when she came to, was how clammy her skin was. She had broken out in a cold sweat at some point and the wind that managed to slip between the cracks of the jeep doors made her shiver.

  _'Not a good mix,' _she thought as a chill passed over her skin by her neck. She desperately wanted a blanket. More sleep would be nice too, but she knew she was unfortunately not going to be able to make her body fall asleep again any time here soon.__

 Slowly she forced herself to open her eyes, but quickly realized she was way to tired to move a muscle.

 Hopper had been watching her carefully almost the entire ride. "Hey kiddo," he said to her.

 She forced a fake grin back at him instead of responding.

 "I'm so proud of you." He told her again.

 This caught her by surprise. She turned her head to look at Hooper. So far, only Papa and Joyce had said that to her, but it neither felt the same as when he said it.

 When Papa had told her she was proud of her, she generally was feeling terrible about something she had had to do for him. Like killing the cat. It made her feel... Broken.

 When Joyce said it, it felt better than when papa had. At least she had been grateful. But even then, Eleven had still felt odd about it all.

 But when Hop said it, it was different. It felt warm. Real.

 She smiled back at him. This time a true smile.

 Hopper smiled back.

 "Now I'm not expecting life to go back to being perfect between us. I mean we are both a bit stubborn." He laughed.

 "Stubborn?" El asked. Speaking for the first time since closing the gate. Her voice was croaky, and her throat incredibly sore from her screaming earlier.

 "Yeah, stubborn. It means that, uh, we both do what we want to do."

 El nodded understanding.

 "But that being said, I would like us to try to work together to overcome these issues. And I would like to start with, later on tonight, or tomorrow, you telling me everything you did while you were gone, that way we can damage control if we need to."

 El let a scowl reach her face. She definitely didn't feel like doing that.

 "Look kid, we are going to have to fill everyone in about you anyways, what you've been doing, etc. We may as well tag that on the end there."

 "Fine." El sighed deeply.

 "Ok good. See, it's a start!" Hopper said looking over at her hopefully.

 She looked back at him, rolling her eyes with an equally matched level of skepticism.

 Hopper ignored that and continued, "Ok and now for my part."

 El looked at him quizzically.

 "What? Do you think it's fair for just you to have you do something and not me?"

 Eleven looked at him expectantly, so Hopper continued. "I know how much promises mean to you, so I'd like to make some promises to you." Hopper took a deep breath. "First, I promise to always be there for you. When no one else is. I may not make it back from work on time always, but if you need me I'll be there." He paused. "Next, I promise to always love you, know matter how big of a shit head you're being," he teased earning himself another eye roll, this time more playful though. "I also promise to never take you back to that lab. EVER again. You never have to go back there for any reason. And lastly, I promise. El, look at me, I want you to know how much I mean this. I will NEVER give up on you."

He could see the tears gathering in her eyes.

"Since neither of us have a proper family, we are now family. No matter what." This part of his speech was a bit more awkward. Hopper had been about to call her his daughter, but had changed his mind last minute, not wanting to make her feel rushed into a parent daughter relationship, when she'd never even had an actual family.

"Family." She tearfully repeated, mustering through the pain to grab his arm and hug it gently.

Apparently he had made the right choice. He'd save daughter for later then.

"I mean I know we gave it a go before, but we can do better this go round. I know it."

"No black holes," Eleven agreed.

"No black holes."

At that, a thought sparked into Hopper's head. He pulled the blue band off his wrist. "Here, I want you to have this," he said putting the band on her wrist. "It was my daughter, Sara's. Now that we are family, I want you to have it." Tears welled in his eyes.

She looked at it. Tenderly running a finger over it and then looking back at Hooper grateful and solemnly; fully understanding the gravity and sentiment the tiny gift he had given her held.

The rest of the ride was silent. Trees zooming past them, Hopper turning here and there. The ride felt warm full of love.

Minutes later they pulled up to the tiny house.

"Alright El, we are here."

"Hop," she said slowly.

"Hmm?"

"Can you carry me in?"

The two shared a smile, and with that Hopper got out of the car, walking around the other side to grab his little girl, all the while butterflies raced through her stomach in anticipation of what was to come.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys! All of your support and all the views, it just amazes me. I've never done something that has been as widely received before. It amazes me that so many of you guys are reading this. The internet really is an incredible thing! 
> 
> Actually all of your support has motivated me to write an actual book. I've been sitting on an idea for literally 18 years. (The idea came from a weird childhood nightmare from when I was 4. I created this mythological creature in my head as a kid and it terrified me for years. I called it a Natharian and it dwells in the shadows of waters, it's a mix of several different creatures, threatening civilizations for centuries. It would be more of a horror, sci fye, romatic, mythological war story if something can be all those things at once? Lol). But the idea just always seemed so far fetched that I never was willing to give it a shot. 
> 
> But because of this little fanfic, and all of your support, I'm going to give it a go! So thank all of you who are reading this, who have written me comments, given me kudo, bookedmarked it, or subscribed. Thank you all for your support. You unknowingly have forced myself out of my own little bubble that I was unaware I was living in. When I started this fanfic I honestly thought what I was doing was silly, I was a bit embarrassed about it. I'm very confident with my photography so I figured I'd just stick with that. But you guys taught me to enjoy yet another creative outlet. So thanks! 
> 
> Anyways, next chapters what you all have been waiting for! Yeek! I'm so excited! The reunion, here we come!


	6. The Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting for everyone to show up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, this is a very long chapter because so much is happening :)

It didn't take long for Max and Dustin to finish making tea and coffee, leaving them standing awkwardly in the kitchen together. So much had happened between them and everyone else that night, but somehow there still was nothing left for them to discuss.

"So... uh. Do you prefer driving, or skate boarding," Dustin said, trying to play it cool.

"Um. Skate board I guess, since I can be alone." Max replied dully. Her eyes wandered about the kitchen, while avoiding his relentless happy stare, trying not to let herself blush from all the explicit attention.

'Well that was a fail,' Dustin thought. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his zipped up jacket, and rocked on the balls of his feet. "Ok well, I'm going to go check on Mike," He said taking her hint.

"Yeah. Good idea," Max replied just as akwardly.

And with that, Dustin made his way out of the tiny kitchen, to the trashed living room, mentally kicking himself for how incredibly unsmooth that was, and pausing to lean against the wood frame of the little archway that joined the two rooms.

Mike hadn't moved since they left him six minutes ago. He was still bouncing his leg, with his eyes boring through the wall opposite him. Yet it was obvious to Dustin the his friend wasn't even seeing the wall. He was a million miles away.

"Hey Mike?"

When Mike didn't acknowledge the boy's presence, Dustin began to feel his own nerves rise. He knew his friend was having a bad go. He could only imagine how Mike was feeling. Dustin felt bad too. He had no idea about how desperately and hopelessly in love his friend was. Calling El every night, counting days. How had he been keeping this all down and hidden for so long? Sure, Dustin knew Mike had liked El, he just didnt realize by how much. Dustin wished Mike would have opened up sooner. But at the same time, he didn't understand it. Mike had known El for like, a week. How could he be this head over heels for her? He wondered about their connection. Eleven's reason made more sense, he was the first person to be kind to her. And yet it was painfully obvious when the two of them saw each other that they needed each other. Dustin couldn't grasp it. 'I probably never will,' he thought. And so he stood there for another moment watching Mike, and thinking.

After a few seconds, he decided it was time to break Mike from his trance.

Dustin walked over to Mike, kneeling down in front of his friend who still hadn't recognized his presence.

"Mike man, she's going to come home. I know it," Dustin said, placing a hand on Mike's bouncing knee to hold it still, and hoping to god that his words were true. He was worried about the odds himself, but now was not the time for that. Mike did not need to see his doubts.

The touch snapped Mike back to reality, and he jumped a bit, clearly startled by Dustin.

Mike sat, rubbing his tired eyes. Two seconds ago, he was staring through the wall opposite him, not seeing anything, or even hearing anything. He was completely in his own world, back of his mind filled with worry, but his brain zoning out to protect him from his own thoughts. Next thing he knew, something warm and a tiny bit sweaty was pressing down on his leg, and back to reality he came, startled and a bit pissed.

"What Dustin?" Mike asked, unable to keep the exasperation from his voice.

"Nothing," Dustin said a bit defensively, "Just figured it was time for you to come out of la la land or wherever the hell you were," he shrugged.

Mike rolled his eyes, "How long have we been back now?"

"Um, probably about eight minutes."

Mike groaned leaning his head against the cushion behind him, frustration tingling every folicle of his being. Only eight minutes? He already felt like he had been waiting for eons!

All of a sudden, a blood curtling shriek came from the kitchen, followed by a slam.

Faster than light, both Dustin and Mike shot up on high alert and ran into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Mike called.

"What happened?" Chorused Dustin as both boys rounded the corner.

Lucas and Steve had already beaten them to the scene, so Mike crained his neck trying to see what was going on, while Dustin hopped on the nearest chair to get a better view.

Max was sprawled backwards on the floor, feet in the air, and hands braced against the floor.

"You alright?" Steve asked, at the same time Lucas bent down to help Max back to her feet.

"What the HELL?" She cried out. "What is this? Some kind of sick joke?" Max was livid.

Mike and Lucas looked around confused. But Steve and Dustin, on the other hand, looked at each other slowly, wincing with matching guilty expressions.

"What did you do?" Lucas asked the two guys curiously.

"Open the fridge." Max demanded.

He did, Mike walking around to peer in as well.

Lucas quickly shut the fridge, looking at Steve and Dustin with his nose wrinkled disgust. "Oh! Gross! Dude, what the hell is wrong with you guys?"

Mike couldn't help it, and burst out a snort of laughter. It was just the comic relief he needed.

"Look Max, we are very sorry," Steve began, "Dustin said it was an, oh I don't remember, some kind of scientific discovery." He said looking at the boy. "And that we couldn't burry it, and he made me put it here, which I only agreed to do, under the condition that he was explaining it to Mrs. Byers. We didn't mean to scare you."

"Woah dude, thanks for throwing me under the bus..." Dustin said smacking Steve's arm in disbelief.

Steve raised an eyebrow back at Dustin.

Dustin turned back to Max, who had her arms crossed, and dropped his eyes to the floor before mumbling, "Yeah sorry Max."

Max uncrossed her arms, finally letting a small smile play on her lips. "Yeah well... I guess I can forgive you dumb asses," she teased. "But maybe we should put a note on the fridge, so the next person who goes looking for milk for their coffee, doesn't have a heart attack."

At this, everyone began laughing, Dustin still shy over the whole event cracking a smile, causing another round of teasing from everyone.

Lucas took the distraction as his opportunity to run down to Will's room to grab an extra sheet of paper and a crayon from his desk. Carefully he writes,

Beware!  
Contents may contain demodog.  
Proceed with caution!

Lucas smiles down at his handiwork. "Perfect!" He says, mischievously grinning to himself. He turns and runs back down the littered hall to the kitchen, shoving his way past the group gathered by the fridge, to pin up the note.

Everyone gathers around to read it, resulting in howls of laughter from everyone!

"Oh my gosh! I can't wait for one of the adults to see this, they are going to shit bricks!" Max says doubling over.

Then a thought popped into Dustin's head, "Shit guys! I really hope we don't get in trouble for this!" He says with wide eyes.

Those were the magic trigger words, bringing the laughter back down to chuckles that slowly died away, the air suddenly much more tense. Everyone silently agreeing with Dustin.

Slowly, everyone made their way back to the living room silently, with Steve in the lead. A rising anticipation filling all crevices of the room.

With distractions all gone, Mike's back to another round of worry. Like a broken record, he sits there in his earlier spot on the couch, just thinking, 'I should of never left her.'

They all stay like that. Silent and waiting. Everyone lost in their own thoughts for another thirty minutes before finally something happens.

Through the silence, they hear the low rumble of an engine and rubber on rocks, as a car turn into the driveway. Headlights beaming through the living room window, lighting the room from one side to the other. As they flicker off everyone suddenly makes a mad dash for the door.

Mike finds himself grabbing people by the shoulders, trying to shove his way to the font. "El?" He calls out with hope. The nervous pit in his stomach gnawing away at his insides.

But it wasn't Eleven and Hopper. It was Joyce, Will, Jonathan and Nancy.

Mike couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of disappointment, and finds himself trying to suppress it best as possible because regardless, he cares for Will, alot.

Jonathan was out of the car first, making quick strides to the opposite side of the car, opening the passengers side and retrieving Will. Joyce and Nancy made it out of the car at the same time, following Jonathan quickly.

"Is he alright?" Everyone began shouting out all at once. So many shouts no one could tell who spoke and when.

"He'll be fine." Jonathan called back shakily.

"Alright everybody, move out of the way. Let them though. Let them through!" Steve ordered guiding the heard of kids back towards the hallway making a path for the four of them.

It wasn't until Johnathan, Will, Nancy, and Joyce all made it inside the house, that there was enough light for everyone to get a good look at the newcomers.

Max let out a gasp, and Steve felt his jaw drop a tiny bit.

Joyce, Nancy and Jonathan looked like hell. Shirts and hair still soaked with sweat, and shivering slightly because of it, lines from stress, worry and exhaustion very visible under their eyes. But no one looked worse than Will. The boy was limp in Jonathan's arms and very pale. Will was out cold. He had rope burns on both wrists and ankles. He had an odd array of faint bruises up his neck that vaugely looked like vines and he was also covered in sweat. And, was that a real burn on his leg? It looked nasty.

Steve found himself seriously doubting that Will or any of the other three would be fine. _'They sure as hell don't look fine,'_ he thought to himself. But he didn't question it.

For a few moments, everyone was frozen to their spots, letting Jonathan walk past them, carrying Will down to his bedroom, and shutting the door behind them.

Joyce also walked past them. She went over to the couch, and sat down with her elbows on her knees and her hands supporting her head, needing thirty more seconds to herself.

Mike went over to Nancy, who still hadn't moved away from the door yet, and hugged his sister tightly.

Nancy relaxed in her younger brothers arms. Little brother would be an understatement. Mike's head was about to Nancy's shoulders and she couldn't help but wonder when he had grown so much? She remembered him being much shorter last year.

Suddenly she felt Mike pull back. "So they mind flayer, it's out of him. For good?" Mike asked solemnly.

"Yeah," Nancy said letting out a delayed breath of relief. "It is," she said looking around at everyone.

Everyone relaxed a bit.

Then she gasped, "Steve!" Nancy gently pushed Mike out of the way to get a better look at him. "What the hell happened to you? I thought you guys were staying here?" She questioned, relooking everyone and their dirty appearances over, disapprovingly.

Jonathan emerged from the bedroom.

"Um, you first?" Steve asked, trying to buy himself some time."

"Not a chance." Nancy retorted.

But before either of them got a chance to respond, Joyce Byers had rejoined everyone in the foyer.

"Why is there a blue car racing out of our drive way?" Joyce said seriously.

She hadn't noticed it when they pulled up, it had been too dark. But as she sat alone in the living room, she heard an engine roar to life and turned around to look out the window to see a blue car soaring out of her drive way.

Max piped up, "It's my asshole of a brother's. Be glad he's leaving." The bitterness in her voice strong as she spoke. "Sorry about the language." Max looked up at Mrs. Byers suddenly, just remembering that she was an adult.

Jonathan connecting the dots, shot a worried look at Steve, who shook it off as if to tell Jonathan not to worry about it right now.

"That's alright. But, I want to hear about everything that's happened whenever Hop gets back." Joyce said acknowleding all the guilty expressions. "You're not in trouble." She said quickly noticing the worried expressions. Better them not be scared and tell the whole truth. "But we may as well wait for everyone to be here before we all start updating each other. And Steve, your face is terrible. Let's get you cleaned up." And she whisked him away to the kitchen, grabbing the first aide kit from the bathroom on the way.

Slowly everyone made their way back into the living room. Nancy and Jonathan joining Mike on the couch, Dustin grabbing the chair in the corner, and Lucas and Max sliding down the wall opposite everyone.

It became clear quite quickly just how exhausted everyone was. Everyone struggling against heavy eyelids, except Mike.

"So how do El and Hopper know when to close the gate?" Lucas asked the room.

"Hopper gave us a set of radios and told me to let him know when the thing was out of Will. As soon as it was I called him, and he said okay. So they are probably closing it." Jonathan replied.

"If it's not already closed," Dustin added.

Lucas shrugged in agreement.

"Then what's taking so long?" Mike whined.

"We don't know..." Nancy said wrapping an arm around her little brother pulling him closer.

Silence filled the room again.

It was about 10 minutes later when they heard it. The unmistakable rumble of an engine, quietly entered the room. And then Mike was running. The car hadn't even come to a complete stop by the time he hit the front door.

Hopper made his way to the other side of the car.

"El!" Mike screamed full of nervous excitement. His foot hit the bottom step of the porch when he saw her. And he froze. Everyone else doing the same behind him in the doorway.

Her body was limp in Hopper's arms. Head lolling back slightly. Even from a distance he could see blood on her face. He wasn't sure how much.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" Mike said fearing the worst, starting off quietly, and shouting by the end. His feet carried him mindlessly to Hopper's side. "El?" His voice cracked, and through the darkness, he saw her face turn away from Hopper's to face him.

He sighed a breath of relief. _'Not dead. Oh thank god!'_ He thought.

"Mike," she whispered, face attempting to break out into an exhausted smile. Her hand that was dangling out of Hoppers hold, reached for him, and Hopper pausing for a moment, looking between the two as Mike got closer.

"Yeah El?" Mike asked softly.

"Love you too." She whispered back.

_'She heard me. Even better, she loves me!'_

Mike froze in shock, happy tears accumulating in the corners of his eyes and his nose tingling hotly. He could have whooped for joy his heart doing summer-salts.

Hopper looked down at Eleven, one eyebrow raised, but not saying anything.

She looked back at him challangingly.

"Really?" Hopper asked. "Sassing me already after that lovely car ride?" He chuckled.

El looked back at him lazily and mischievously.

"Alright, alright..." he said to her then turned to the love sick boy. "Come on kid," he called, reminding Mike to move. He tunned out everyone's questions about if El was alright. And merely nodded at them all.

 _'El is home, Will is ok. And Eleven loves me.'_ Mike was finally whole. A huge grin spread across his face, as he followed El and Hopper back into the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow thay was a long chapter. It took me 3 days to write usually I write it all in one go.
> 
> Next, the real reunion and the conversations.
> 
> I still have so much planned before the snowball, and the I have some ideas for a continuing plot.
> 
> Love you all, thanks for reading and goodnight!
> 
> Until next update ♡


	7. The Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Reunion between Mike and El. Fucking finally right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up for some major mileven fluff right here. Because that's pretty much all this chapter is!
> 
> This was going to be the reunion with everyone, but as I was writing it felt right to make this it's own chapter. Hope you all enjoy! More reunion stuff will happen next chapter. :)

Warmth.

That was the first thing that El noticed when Hopper carried her over the threshold of the Byers house. It surrounded them, enveloping them in a comfort that both had felt long-awaited. El sighed in relief letting her muscles relax, tight from how she strained them on the cold ride home.

The second thing she noticed was the chorus of voices drowning each other out.

"Is she alright?"

"Did she do it?"

"Did she close the gate?"  
   
"Is it all over?"

"El are you okay?"

She felt hands patting and shaking the nearest side of her body. She turned to her friends with amusement in her eyes. She was happy, and felt a smile rise to her lips. One corner of her mouth raising higher than the other giving her a dimple in just one of her cheeks.

"It's over," she breathed out casually.

Lucas, Dustin, and Max all cheered. Everyone exchanging high-fives and jumping up and down.

Lucas looked over at Mike, and nudged Max pointing him out to her.

"Oh man, he's got it bad," she whispered back, ammused at seeing this whole other side of the guy.

"Yeah," Lucas agreed. Had it been under the different circumstances he almost would have laughed at the boy. For sure, he would have been teasing him. Mike was on cloud nine, with not a care in the world.

Lucas had watched from the porch as Mike had pushed past everybody, running to Hopper's side. He had been in a complete panic but then the girl in his arms had turned and said something to him. God, Lucas wished he knew what the girl had said, because whatever it was made Michael stop dead in his tracks. A smile spreading from ear-to-ear across his face. Heart eyes would be a good nickname at the moment. But circumstances being what they have been, after hours, no make that a year, of worry, it was just nice to see their friend finally back to normal. Of some variety, anyways.

"We should give them a minute, alone." Max said to Lucas and Dustin, watching from a corner in the room.

Hopper push past the group to set El down carefully on the couch. He laid her with her head by the arm rest, and legs out straight across the cushions. Once she was situated, he got down on his knees making his face level with hers. "I'm so proud of you," he told her again. El's smile grew even larger, making the downcurved side of her mouth go up to match the other side, giving both her cheeks dimples. Hopper reached up to tussle her hair and pulled his hand back in mock disgust. "Ew, what kind of hair gel did you use kid? It feels like your leftover eggos!" Hopper teased. El shook her head pretending to be annoyed. "Alright," Hopper exclaimed, standing up. "I'm going to go check on Joyce. I'm assuming you want some time to just be with your friends anyways. Am I right?" El nodded gratefully, and Hopper took that as his que to go.

Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve had all left the kids alone in the living room as soon as Hopper came in deciding it was best to give them their space.  
   
Hopper turned around and begin to walk out of the room. Leaving, El to turn to face her friends. However, she was surprised to find that all of her friends had turned face Hopper.  
   
 Lucas tapped Dustin on the shoulder as if urging him to speak.  
   
"Ow! What the hell?" Dustin exclaimed looking back at his friend in shock.  
   
 Lucas turned to stare back at his friend with wide eyes, shaking his head, and raising his arms gesturing, as if to tell him to get on with it.  
   
"What?" Dustin challenged. Still standing completely clueless in the middle of the floor. Obviously he had missed the memo.  
   
"Morons." Max quipped, rolling her eyes and turning towards Hopper. "Hey Chief? Mrs. Byers?" She called out to the adults, following them into the kitchen and waving to her friends to follow. "We made coffee and tea for everybody. We assumed everybody would want something after everything that's happened. It probably needs to be heated up now, but it's in the kitchen and ready for anybody who wants it." Max said the first bit a tad more dramatically trying to que Dustin in.

 "Oh!" Dustin exclaimed catching the hint. "Yeah we made that. The milk is on the counter by the way. No need to go looking in the fridge..." He added with a nervous laugh.

Lucas rolled his eyes following the other two out of the room.

Then, it was just Mike and El in the room together alone. Both grateful for it, regardless of their friends' incredible lack of subtlety. "El!" Mike exclaimed walking towards her. "Oh my God El,  I'm so glad you're home! I was so worried! Not that I didn't think that you weren't coming back or anything. I just..." he was blabbering away but he couldn't help it. Mike sat down on the couch next to El, feeling the cushion dip around him. The 'I love you too,' still replaying in his head, the words making him braver.

Carefully, he lifted up her legs, sliding close enough to her that their bodies were touching, before gently laying her legs back over his lap. She giggled at his sudden boldness. The sound making Mike melt. He'd never heard her laugh before now, but he never wanted it to stop. It was soft and quiet just like everything else about her, but it was also had a little tinkling quality that added so much warmth to the sound. All too soon, the noise had died away and he let a sad smile play on his lips. "Its just," he continued, "I mean, I knew you would close the gate. You're so strong... I was just so worried that you would... disappear again." His voice hitched in his throat as he spoke. "Like last time." He finished shakily.  
   
He allowed himself to stare into her face, trying to memorize every detail. Several tails of blood crusting and cracking on her skin. The dark makeup that had made her look so fierce mere hours ago were smudged everywhere, mixing with dirt from her most recent adventure. But none of that mattered to Mike. It reminded him how strong she was. How brave and determined her spirit shined. The stains of the day serving as visible proof of her selflessness, and it only made him adore her more. He let his eyes wander over to her cute button nose, he loved how it came to a point. Her hair, which he still couldn't believe she had, was still slicked back, but some pieces escaping on the sides, breaking loose and limply framing her face. And those chocolate brown doe eyes he adored were gleaming. Ever expressively, conveying so much, as always, with no words. They were window to her soul, an open book he could read with ease, and they were staring right back at him intently. He then let his eyes find her lips, which he so badly wanted to kiss. They were parted open in a thoughtful pout. Even in her current state, she was stunning to him.

El lifted a finger and placed it to Mike's lips to  make sure he didn't keep talking, before dropping her hand down down and grabbing Mike's fingers. She squeezed his hand with a gentle pressure, reassuring herself before she spoke. "I know." She replied guiltily. Her was voice quiet, but heavily with sentiment. She paused for a moment before she spoke again. The words coming out slowly. You could tell she was trying take the time to get each one right as she explained her side.

"I wanted to come see you, after the demogorgon. I woke up in the upside down. There was a gate, and I heard voices, so I knew I could get back. I went through after the voices were gone. I looked for you but you were gone too. So I walked to your house. When I got back there were cars with lights, like Hoppers. Police lights. The bad men, they were there too." Big fat tears began rolling down her face, and she let them fall. She felt her voice changing as she began to cry, but she kept talking. "I saw you through the window-w." She hiccuped. Her voice was breaking a bit now. "And the bad-d men, they said-d I was dangerous. They were r-right... I was dangerous for you-u. So I ran into the woods and hid. Stayed there through the s-snow." She sniffled and pulled her hand out of Mike's to wipe her nose,  before set it gingerly back in her lap. "H-Hopper, that's where he found me. T-took me h-home. I wanted to see you! I t-tried! But he didn't l-let me. To keep me s-safe, because w-we're n-not stupid-d." She let a sob rip through her, and she looked up at Mike's face, seeing the tears gather in his eyes too. "Oh Mike, I'm so s-sorry!" And she could speak no more; sobs overcoming her body.

For a split second Mike just sat there in shock. He had never heard her speak so much in one go before. It took another second before he began processing everything she told him. But one he started, his brain worked rapid fire.

 _'She has been here this whole time? She came home... She tried to see me... And she hid in the woods to keep me safe.'_ He thought, processing it all. _'Through the snow. Through the snow? It didn't snow till December... God! She must of been living in the woods for a month! How did she survive?'_  He looked at the girl sobbing in front of him and felt so guilty. How could he of not known she was there? Why did he not go out trying to look? He should of searched for her. Should of done something. Anything! Yes he had missed her, but he suddenly felt that he must not have missed her enough. She had missed him too, but she clearly had it so much worse. All this time... He didn't deserve her. But here she still was. He would never be able to forgive himself for that, but he could help El feel better now.

Still speechless, he grabbed El by the shoulders and pulled her in close. They fit perfectly together. Her head nuzzled under his chin, head turned in, facing his chest. He shifted his arms lower around her back and pulled her in closer, reminding himself this was all real.This was ALL real.

The closeness made El sob harder than ever. She grabbed Mike's shirt tighlty in her fists, as shudders convulsed though her, as she cried in his arms. "El, it's ok," Mike said rubbing her back. Mike too, felt the tears streaming silently down his face as he burried his head against her slicked back hair, simultaneously getting a giant waft of the unfamiliar scent. "It's ok. I promise. I f-forgive you-u... You never meant to hurt me, and I know that. And I wish I could have been there for you. I should of looked for you. Instead of just calling for you. Well I did think you were in the upside down and not here, but still. I should've done something. I'm sorry too!"

"Mike." El choked out between sobs, "It's ok."

They sat like that, neither one able to hold anything back anymore. Emotions coursing though them, as they clunge to each other. As the minutes passed, the tears slowed, until neither could cry anymore. El's shudders turned to light shaking instead.  
   
She pulled back from Mike slowly, only to notice that her tears had made a wet mark on his shirt that somehow had managed to mix with the remenants of her makeup and the blood from her face, creating a muted dull brown stain. She winced uncomfortably. Guilty for ruining his shirt.

Slowly, she let her eyes travel up to his. Admiring him upclose. Yes, she had been close to him in the void many times. But here in person, it was different. She could finally touch him. She was shocked by how handsome he was. Handsome was one of her newer words learned from her soaps, and she found herself thinking about how, out of all the times she had heard the word said on tv; to a man, or about a man; she had never found the word more fitting than she did right now. For a second time that evening, she noticed the red in his eyes and the glint of a silver resting on his cheek. Eleven found herself again struck with the desire to reach up and brush it away, and this time she took her chance to do it. Letting her finger brush back across his smooth skin after, lingering over his pale speckled cheeks, watching his dark lashes flutter.

Then she remembered her own appearance with embarrassment and hurried to brush the tears and grime off her face. Here he was looking so beautiful, and she was a complete and total mess. So El found herself using her hands, pretending to wipe her eyes, trying to slyly shield her face away so he couldn't see it. After a moment, she felt a hand on her wrists, as Mike lowered her arms, clasping his fingers with hers.

"Hey El," he said, peering down at her. She was finally calm enough that he felt like it was ok to say something. Despite the fact that she was sitting in his lap, well kind of anyways; her butt was still on the couch, but her legs were on his lap... Regaurdless, the fact that she was still a whole head shorter than him while sitting, suddenly striking him as adorable. 

She looked back at him, letting her eyes ask the question.

"I missed you." He said earnestly.

"I missed you too!" And she scooted herself into his lap and reached up to hug him. Immediately she recognized just how different this hug was. The atmosphere incredibly lighter after having expended the cost of all their sadness through tears. Grief and the weight of the world completely evaporating. Mike relaxed happily in her arms.

El pulled back again, blinking at him. Her eyes were still puffy and red, but now sadness replaced with a small sideways smile. "I'm back now," she stated, happily.

Mike couldn't hold back any longer. He felt so lucky. El was here to stay. The girl that saved the world, twice... She was sitting in HIS lap, arms still wrapped loosely around his neck. He could feel how close they were. Their own sort of personal gravity working as an invisible force, drawing their faces towards each other. He could now count her still damp eyelashes if he really wanted to. There was thudding in his ears, and he suddenly couldn't hear anything. Mike closed his eyes, feeling her breath warm his mouth before he found himself easily pressing his lips to hers.

Electricity erupted between them. Later on neither would be able to figure out if it had been just the moment, or if El had used her powers accidentally. Their hearts were racing, butterflies exploding in their stomachs and nerves sending a tingling of endorphin's down through their extremities, exhilarating all of their senses. All the sadness, love, happiness,  and relief surging through the moment, deepening the kiss.

Mike had replayed their last kiss over in his head a million times before, but he had never remembered it being as perfect as this one. While both kisses they've shared so far had been short, their previous one would never compare. The world had never seemed so... bright. The last one, almost seemed like an experiment. But this one, this kiss, was meant to be. And in that moment, everything solidified for him. Eleven was it for him; she always would be. It was a closed deal, his fate forever sealed to hers. He could die a happy man, as long as he had her.  
   
Eleven smiled into his kiss, before pulling away, grin lingering on her face, when a realization it hit her. 

All this time she had been searching for it. Finding solace wherever the forces in her crazy life took her. At the lab, with her sister and her crazy gang in Chicago, with her mom and aunt Becky, even with Hopper in their cozy little cabin. Somehow, everywhere she went, the emptiness would find a way to creep back in, chipping away the pieces of her tender heart as she went. Leaving her lost to pick up the pieces. Yes, the cabin with Hopper considerably less that way than anywhere else. But still. There had always been a hollowness waiting to be filled.

Yet, in this moment she felt the fullness she'd been yearning for, but hadn't found since she was last separated from Mike. She just hadn't pieced together what it meant yet. But now she knew. She was complete. 

El looked at Mike waiting for him to pull his head out of the clouds because she needed to tell him. She didn't know why, but she knew it was important. And so she watched the boy  across from her impatiently, as he slowly came back to earth.

When Mike finally came back to his senses, he noticed Eleven's impatient eyes. He raised an eyebrow at her. Suddenly worried. _'Was it not a good kiss for her too? She does know what it means now, right? Did she not actually want to be kissed?'_

El took a deep breath and smiled back at the boy. "Home," she proclaimed with a nod.

Mike felt his face spread into a wide grin. It made perfect sense. Just then Mike realized he had always thought of a home as the place you live with your family. Never giving the word much thought beyond that. Yet, suddenly the word meant something new. Something wonderful.

 _'Leave it to the girl of so few words, to change my whole perspective on a single word, just by saying that one word.'_ Mike laughed to himself.

But Mike knew exactly what she meant. His home is not just the place he stays with his miserable parents and his sisters; because he can survive without all of those things, regardless of how terrible it sounds.

A home is where you live. And he couldn't live without El.

"Home." Mike agreed, causing El to join him in grinning.

El hopped off his lap, sitting next to him once more.

"Mike,"

"Yeah El?

"Thank you for waiting for me."

Mike chuckled. "Like that was ever a question..."

"Hey El?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for coming back." He pressed a kiss to the side of her forehead. 

There was still so much to be said, but for now,  they had said everything that mattered. They had the rest of forever to talk. So instead the couple finally relaxed back into a hug, letting themselves slowly lean back into the couch. Snuggling up together comfortably, while they waited for their friends return, content with the silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, sorry for the long wait! Life has been crazy! 
> 
> Secondly, guys. I'm so excited! When I initially sat down to write this chapter I ended up writing a massive outline for the overarching plot that will start after the snowball. We got a while till we get there, but this being my first story and all, I'm hella stoked. Should be  
> Real fun! Got some fun mini plots and it leads up to my idea of a season 3. 
> 
> Anyways like usual, feel free to kudos, bookmark, or comment. Let me know what you like, or if you wanted to see sonething else happen! Also feel free if you have something you want to see happen to let me know and I'll try to work it in! 
> 
> Much love!


	8. Parenting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jopper talk about Will and El.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, this is going to be a shorter and slower chapter. But not all chapters can be fast paced right? 
> 
> Even though it is a slower chapter, this chapter and the next one, were actually my whole reason for me wanting to write this fan fic in the first place. I felt like this conversation was inevitable. And part of me kinda wished I had seen it happen.

Jim couldn't help but shake his head at the kids lack of subtlety in their attempt to give his daughter and that Wheeler kid some space. What did they think he was? Oblivious?

Jim rounded the corner into the kitchen and did a quick scan of the room for Joyce, but not finding her anywhere. Instead just Nancy, Steve and Jonathan sitting quietly at the kitchen table. 

"Yeah, um... coffee sounds great." He called over his shoulder. "Can you give me a sec kids?" Hopper asked the group behind him. He found himself turning distractedly to Jonathan. "Where's your mom?"

"She went to her room a few minutes after we got back." Jonathan looked exhausted, but the tone of worry was what caused Jim to pause; each of them eyeing each other with a matched level of concern before Jim turned back down the tiny hallway, making his way back to Joyce's room.

Jim raised a hand and knocked on her door, catching himself out of habit, doing his secret knock for El, and cutting it off awkwardly halfway through. "Joyce?" He called out gruffly. He heard nothing on the other side, and decided to push the door open anyways.  
"Hey Joyce? You in here?"

Joyce was laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The room was dark, the only light coming from the lamp on her nightstand. Her room too, was covered in Will's drawings, taking away the cozy feel to the room.

When she heard the door creak open she turned and looked back at it, sitting up quickly and wrapping her jacket more tightly around her. Her sweat covered clothes from earlier were piled up next to her bed as she sat bundled in fresh ones. Upon further inspection of her, Jim realized she might of been wearing pajamas, the pants looking much softer than the ones she usually wore. 

Joyce looked at him with bleary eyes. "Hey Hop! Come in! I didn't hear you come in or else I would of met you out there." Her voice sounded almost as tired as she looked. Hopper shut the door behind him as she stepped in the tiny room and made his way to the bed. But was surprised to find Joyce standing up to meet him. Joyce peered seriously into his eyes. "Is the gate closed?"

"Yeah. It is."

Joyce still held her breath, bracing herself for any bad news, "And El?" 

"She's fine. Just exhausted."

"Oh thank God!" Joyce exclaimed finally sighing with relief, and pulling Hopper down for a hug. 

"How's Will?" Hopper asked into the hug.

"I think he'll be fine too. Just got to recover from all the trauma." Joyce replied.

"And how are you?" Hopper asked seriously.

He felt Joyce shrug against him, and he finally pulled out of the hug to look at her. 

"At least my boy is ok." Joyce whispered shakily, not meeting his eyes.

She sank back on the bed, and Hopper took his place next to her. Both of them staring unseeingly at the opposite wall.

"I would be lying though if I didn't say it was terrifying." She said after a minute, speaking slowly. "Jonathan thought I was going to kill him, using the heaters like I did. But I was just so mad; I turned them up... Turns out it was the right thing to do because then these black shadow things started coming out of his mouth..." She trailed off.

Jim took his hand closest to Joyce, and began rubbing circles on her back. "You don't have to tell me yet if you don't want to."

Joyce nodded, still staring at the other wall. "I'll wait till we fill the kids in on everything. I promised them once you guys were back we would do that." She finally looked up at him with a lazy smile. "Besides it sounds like more happened with the kids than we actually know about anyways." 

Jim raised raised an eyebrow at Joyce. Then with his own awkward smile, he began reaching up to scratch the back of his head. "Yeah I figured some sort of talk was going to happen... I know El and I owe everyone an explanation."

"God Hop. I don't know how you've been doing it," Joyce replied shaking her head at him, eyes round in disbelief. 

"Me neither," Jim chuckled. 

"How long has she been with you?"

"Since last December."

Joyce turned to him, eyes softening. "All this time, and you haven't told anyone?"

"No. I figured she'd be safer."

Joyce nodded sadly, understanding.

"I'm glad you know now though. I'm glad this whole group does. It'll make things... easier." Jim added.

"How are you with it all?"

"Well it definitely hasn't been easy." Jim replied. "She's never had a true family. I mean you met her mom and aunt with me, and they never knew her, so everything is new." Jim paused. "For a while it was great. We'd eat dinner together, hang out, I'd read to her, teach her. We have a word of the day." He reminisced. "I gave her a few rules, to keep her safe, like don't leave the house. They were our 'not stupid' rules... Turns out the rules themselves was stupid because all she wanted to do was to go see Mike." He turned to face Joyce before continuing, "I still don't get whatever is going on between them. I thought it would be a one sided thing, until I saw them reunite tonight," 

Joyce chuckled, "Yeah it would worry me too. There is definitely something there between them. I've known Mike forever and I've never seen him act the way he does around Eleven." 

"Yeah..." Jim said. "I'm starting to see that too." He said remembering the punches the kid threw at him earlier. "Anyways, I guess she had enough because she left the house one day. Then we had this huge fight, I took away the tv, which is how she goes to see him, and she exploded all the windows in the cabin."

Joyce gasped in disbelief. "So that's what happened to the cabin."

"Yeah, turns out telekenetic temper tantrums really suck. She told me she hates me and that I'm like papa, and I told her to grow the hell up, and she threw furniture at me before shutting herself in her room and when she screamed, all the windows shattered."

"I almost can't imagine her acting like that," Joyce said. 

"Yeah, I think since she's never pushed any boundaries before in the lab, that she is getting it all out now."

Joyce nodded sympathetically. "Makes sense."

"Anyways, she stayed locked in her room, up until I left the next day, and then that's when everything started happening with Will. When I had a chance to check back in on her, she was gone."

"Gone?" Joyce asked creasing her eyebrows.

"She ran away. Next thing I know she turns up here looking like some mtv punk..." He trailed off.

"Wow. Definitely not an easy go." Joyce said, leaning her head on Hoppers shoulder. If she was being honest with herself she felt bad for both of them. "Do you know where she went?"

"Yeah," Jim snorted, causing Joyce to glance him over in surprise. "You're not going to believe what she told me either. She told me," he continued in his best Jane impression, 

"'[She went] to see mama.'  
Which shocked the hell out of me. And when I asked how she got there she said,  
'A truck.'  
And I said, a truck?  
And she said, 'A big truck,'  
And I was like, A big truck? Who's truck was it?  
And she told me, 'A man's,'  
And I repeated, A man's?  
And she told me, 'A nice man's.'"

Jim shook his head in disbelief, "So yeah, a nice man in a big truck took her to see her mom. Still doesn't explain much, I know shes hasn't told me everything, but I got her to promise to tell me the rest when we filled everyone in about her."

"Geez, Hop. That's rough," Joyce empathized.

"But in the car, both there and back I think we really made some headway." Jim said looking back at Joyce hopefully. "We are starting over."

Joyce grabbed his hand and rubbed the back side of it soothingly. "Good I'm glad. And if you need anything, you now have me alright."

Jim turned back to Joyce, smiling back at her appreciatively. "Thanks Joyce." 

He pulled a cigarette out of his coat pocket and lit it. Taking a deep puff and handing it over to Joyce, who grabbed it greedily. 

"So how are you doing with it all, after Sara? Are you ok?" Joyce asked carefully.

"Yeah I'm doing ok." Jim paused to take another long drag off of the lit cigarette. "I mean, I know things recently have been tough, but they aren't always tough..." Jim breathed out the cloud of smoke. "Honestly, it feels like I've been given another chance."

Joyce gave him a knowing smile, lips closed pulling straight across her face, not up; while she squeezed the hand she was rubbing.

After a few moments Jim kept talking. "You should of seen her tonight Joyce." He said slowly, remembering everything that had just transpired. "She's so strong. So brave. There were Demo dogs flying at us and I was shooting them, and she was closing the gate, and then the shadow monster or mind flayer or whatever began trying to squeeze through the gate, and she raised her other hand and began screaming... And the her feet lifted off the ground. She pushed the monster back behind the gate, and finished closing it before she passed out... I've never seen anything like it..."  

Joyce could hear the wonder in his voice and felt her chest squeeze from the sentiment that she hadn't heard there in a long time.

Jim continued, eyes teary. "I have never been so proud of her." He looked back at Joyce with happy tears.

Next thing, Jim was standing up turning away before slowly pacing the room. Puffing on the cigarette.

Joyce found herself standing too, walking over to steal the cigarette back, "For what it's worth Hop, I think she's a great girl. And regardless of the rough patches, I think you guys will be good for each other."

Jim felt awkward and happy at this. "Um thanks." He muttered back quietly before letting out a loud sigh. "So what do you say? Should we head back out and check on all the kids? I haven't heard them in far too long I'm starting to get nervous, and I heard they made us coffee."

Joyce let a tiny grin creep up on her face. "After you," she said, and followed Hopper slowly out of the room. "I hope they made decaf."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual thanks for reading. Next chapter everyone fills each other in, and El's hair is revealed to the group. Can't wait! I'm trying to get this next chapter out to you soon since this one was slower and a bit more uneventful. (It'll depend on homework load though on when I get it out). But I'm trying to get it out soon. Love you all!


	9. Strangers No Longer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nancy finds herself dealing with the awkwardness between Jonathan and Steve.  
> Mike and Hopper 'talk'.  
> El and Will meet.  
> Lots of giggles and teasing.  
> And what does the party think of El's hair??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok first of all, I just learned people sometimes recommend some of the other fics they enjoy on here so here you go (Watch the ratings. These are not all family friendly, if you are looking for that. Some of these are, but some of these definitely are not!) :  
> I love everything kittenCorrosion and thelovelysarcastic (these are two separate accounts) have written. They are the reason I decided to make an account in the first place, that way I could actually comment on their works.  
> Everybody talks by hannahberrie  
> Love you like a love song by FateChicha  
> You're not alone by Playful Electrode  
> Reality in motion by AkaiaOwl  
> The artist and the dancer by JavaCat26  
> Second chances by dragonartist5  
> (These are in no particular order other than how I bookmarked them lol) and if any of you guys are reading this than hi! I love your works!
> 
> Well this chapter was supposed to be a brief segue between the events that took place and was supposed to be all about the talk I want them to have, where everyone fills each other in on what happened. 
> 
> Yet when I sat down to write, that is not what happened. Like AT ALL. Lol. The chapter took on a life of his own. I didn't even plan most of what was written, (actually only one part of this chapter was in my initial plan). But as i wrote everything just flowed so naturally. And now it is a perfect lead in to the next chapter which will finally be the talk. (I've already written part of it, and I'm having a blast. It'll be a fun chapter.)
> 
> Anyways... It's a longer chapter, (which is why I decided not to including the talk in this chapter). Also this chapter may feel like it has a slow start. However, I think it was a nessisary evil for intensification of excitment and indirectly for future plot... Don't hate me for it. ;) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

It was about three minutes after Hopper left to talk to Joyce that everyone began feeling impatient. 

Jonathan exused himself to go get changed. 

Steve was laying with his head on the table smashing his one cheek, letting a bag of ice rest on the other side of his face on top of the many bandages patching him together.

Nancy found herself busy helping Max re-heat the tea and coffee, while searching for cups and mugs with no luck. So instead, she gave up and just started getting things ready for everyone.

She still was horribly sweaty from the cabin and felt disgusting, so once Jonathan returned, she passed off the task of trying to find cups and mugs to him, before excusing herself.

She tip-toed lightly out of the kitchen and down the hall trying desperately to not make a sound that would disturb Hopper and Joyce, figuring the two needed time to talk without interruptions.

When Nancy reached the end of the hall, she turned left into Jonathan's room. She was flicking on the lights, when it hit her that she had never actually been in there before. 

Assuring herself that she was doing what any girl would do if they walked in the room of the guy they were seeing;  she began nosily looking around. 

The room was small, neutral colors. Not much was in the room. There was an unmade bed with orange sheets, and next to that, there was a desk with a stereo and his camera equipment strewn across in the open spaces. She smiled at how completely... Jonathan, that seemed. Her eyes wondered up the wall. 

His room was the only one where Will's drawings weren't littering the walls, which probably had something to do with the fact that he had left his door shut before he left, but that didn't mean that the walls were bare. There were some talking heads, police, and various other band posters lining the walls, with some of his photos among them. 

Nancy stepped closer to the wall to get a better look at the photos. There were pictures of buildings, and nature, some of Joyce and Will smiling happily. It made her heart hurt. A pange of guilt running through her. Suddenly feeling really bad for hitting Will with the hot fire stoker. That will hurt real bad later. 

She let her eyes continue wandering aimlessly over the other photos. There were some pictures of the boys all laughing, probably at some stupid joke one of them was telling, and then her eyes stopped on a photo of herself. She had never seen this photo before. It was one from when her hair was still longer, but it wasn't one from the night Barb went missing. It was just from some other random time. Her face was pointed to the side and her features frozen in mid laugh. She had never been a fan of her big smile, hence why she always gave her small shy one, but the way Jonathan captured it, made her feel beautiful. She tried to think back, to remember when this one was taken, but she had no clue. The picture obviously ment something to Jonathan though because it was on his wall, and that made her smile.

Nancy turned around remembering her purpose for coming in the room in the first place. 'Clothes.' She didn't ask, but now that they were, well whatever they were; 'Does the fact that we slept together make us official now? Is that too soon after Steve?' Regaurdless, she assumed it would be ok. 100% rathering the 'do now, apologize later,' strategy. As she turned, she saw a chest with the most recently used drawers still open, conveniently. 

Hastily she pulled out one of Jonathan's plain navy blue t-shirts, and grabbed one of his jackets, sniffing happily as she yanked it on, finally feeling so much better.

As she wandered back down the hall, she couldn't help but peer in at Mike and El. Both were holding each other closely not saying a word, you could tell they had been crying, and she couldn't help but feel for the couple in front of her. 

She didn't stay peeking in at them long though. The intimacy of the moment strong,  practically radiating off of them and making her feel like she was intruding. So she headed back towards the kitchen. 

The kitchen was pretty awkward itself. Dustin, Max, and Lucas sitting on the floor real close to the wooden door frame. They were obviously trying to over hear what was being said in the room next to them, while sipping from warm mugs. The look of defeat and strain on their faces telling Nancy immediately that it wasn't working.

Jonathan and Steve both were sitting together at the kitchen table. The unspoken uncomfort creating a tension so thick it could be cut like a knife. Both teens looking visibly more relaxed by her reappearance. Jonathan was casually drinking from a mug, and Steve was still holding the bag of ice to his head.

Both of them stared at her in bordem as she joined them at the table. Jonathan smiling crookedly at her.

"Are those my clothes?" He asked her, eyes shy with happiness.

Nancy nodded, "I was cold and soaked with sweat. You don't mind do you?"

"No," Jonathan replied quickly, one side of his face twitching upwards before he turned to the counter to start fixing her a mug of tea.

It was then that she remembered Steve. She had completely forgot how he might feel if she wore Jonathan's clothes in front of him. Slowly she forced herself to turn and look at him. 

Steve was looking the other way clearly pretending to have not heard the last interaction, with a look of hurt on his face.

Nancy thought about saying something. She found herself opening her mouth, before realizing she had no idea what she would say, and closing it. Then opening it again, before completely changing her mind, and shutting it once more, not wanting to cause him any further pain. 

Jonathan handed her the mug, which she gratefully accepted. She raised it to her lips, taking a sip to hide her awkwardness and peering over the top, looking around. 

She watched the kids on the floor, trying to wait patiently, and failing. Antsiness overcoming them as they became wiggly. So she stood up and walked over to her brother's friends, thankful for an excuse to do something.

"Hey guys, I'm sure you are good to go in there now if you want to." Nancy said looking down at them.

"How do we know that they aren't sucking each other's faces of? We haven't even heard a whisper in a while now?" Dustin asked dramatically.

"Really guys? They haven't even seen each other for an hour yet... And I literally checked on them a second ago and they weren't." Nancy replied.

"You sure?" Dustin asked wearily.

"Yes!" Nancy sighed dramatically with exasperation. "If you don't believe me, go check," she shooed them.

Dustin, Lucas, and Max all began helping each other up. 

"After you," Max said to Lucas teasingly.

"Ew, no way, ladies first," Lucas teased back.

"I got a better idea," she said mischeviously, before pushing Dustin in the room.

"What the hell!" He exclaimed covering his eyes and turning his head towards the ceiling, 'Just in case'. Slowly, he spread his fingers revealing one eye and peaked through them to see Mike and El looking at him, Mike's arm around her shoulder awkwardly, and her head raised slightly off Mikes shoulder, as she stared back at him. Both bewildered, but together sitting innocently. 

"Phew!" Dustin let out a sigh of relief. "Guys you're good to come in! They aren't sucking face!" He hollered back.

"What the hell Dustin!" Mike said, his face turning beet red. 

"Oh... Are you not ready for us yet?" Dustin asked raising one eyebrow suspiciously at them, only half teasing him now, but also half serious.

"No, no. We are definetly ready for you..." Mike sputtered still in embarrassment. "We've just been sitting waiting for you guys to come back for a few minutes anyways."

Eleven sat, now head completely off Mike's shoulders, looking between Dustin and Mike mildly confused by the whole interaction.

"Oh..." Dustin replied a bit surprised.

Lucas, Max, and Nancy all came striding into the room.

Before El could blink, she found herself crashing into Mike, as arms came at her from every direction. She was being surrounded in a group hug. Everyone getting squeezed too tightly, but no one cared in the slightest. 

When they broke apart, everyone stayed huddled around the little couch, with the exception of Max, who found herself stepping to the back of the group, nervously watching everyone interact.

"I can't believe you closed the gate!" Lucas beamed. 

The corners of El's mouth raised a tiny bit. 

"How do you feel?" Dustin asked excitedly.

As if on cue, she yawned, causing some giggles.

Everyone was expecting her to say she was tired, however, much to everyone's surprise, after she pulled out her yawn she exclaimed, "Gross." 

"Gross?" Mike questioned, wondering if he had heard her right.

El pointed at her face, then the cracking blood, and her hair. "Yes."

"Oh!" Mike chuckled, understanding.

"Hey El, I'm sure you could get a shower if you like. Do you want me to go ask Mrs. Byers if that's ok?" Nancy asked, coming to the front of the group.

El nodded apprectiatively. "Thank you." 

"Of course." Nancy said warmly. "Oh and do you want anything to drink? Max and Dustin made tea and coffee." Nancy offered from over her shoulder as she began to walk into the other room. 

Max took the opportunity to smile at Eleven, trying to prove that she was friendly. But Eleven made no effort to look at her. Instead smiling happily at Dustin. Max watched as Dustin returned a tooth grin, and frustration bubbled in Max's stomach. She wasn't ready to give up yet though. 'It could all still be coincidence, or fear...'

"Coffee?" She asked hesitantly. 

"Sure, anything in it?"

"No." She said in her small voice, causing most of the kids to fake gag.

"Ew! You like black coffee?" Lucas asked. 

"That's how Hop drinks it." She stated, feeling the need to explain herself. Then looking around the room at all of her friends she shyly admitted, "Sometimes when he leaves, I get thirsty," she paused searching for the words, "for more than water. And I drink it." She paused again before continuing on with her guilty confession. "I tried his white cans of coke too, that he told me not to drink, but that tasted bad." She remembered it like it was yesterday, the bitter taste sticking out in her mind, and sticking her tounge out as if disgusted.

At this, all the boys let out howls of laughter, and El smiled along innocently and brows creased, unsure of why that was so funny. "Um El, the white coke, that's beer, not soda..." Mike informed her between giggles. 

El looked back at Mike, eyes wide as saucers horrified at the discovery. It only caused more giggles.

Right at that moment Nancy came skidding back into the room. 

"Look who I ran into in the hallway!" She said cheerfully, passing El a mug of black coffee.

El took it from her gingerly and sniffed it. "Mmmm," she loved the smell of coffee. The warm mug felt amazing in her grip causing her to wrap both hands around the steaming cup.

"Since when do you drink coffee?" Hopper asked her straight forwardly, as he suddenly appeared in the room. His eyes plainly questioning if that was something she picked up during her trip.

"When you go to work." El lazily replied with a slight edge of exasperation which everyone chose to ignore.

"Sweet heart, I heard you wanted to ask me something?" Joyce asked now appearing from behind Hopper. 

"Can I get a bath?" El asked quietly pausing between her words.

"Of course dear." Joyce replied.

Nancy quickly offered to help again, noticing the exhaustion on Joyce's face.

"Do you think you can stand?" Nancy asked Eleven. 

El looked skeptically down at her toes.

"It's ok if you can't. I can help you." Nancy added quickly, which made El look much more comfortable.

Mike stood up, grabbing El's coffee from her and passing it off the Lucas, who set it down behind him, as the rest of the party backed away from the couch giving them room.

"Here El, give me your hand." Mike said. Warmth flooded his pale cheeks, fully aware of his friends eyes on his back. But he forgot that when El smiled gratefully at him, delicately placing her hand in his. He didn't think watching her smile would ever get old.

Hopper almost gagged at how sickeningly sweet the two were to each other, and couldn't help but feel protective father mode kick in, as he stood back with his arms crossed. He watched Eleven batting her eyelashes smiling at Mike. The whole scenario making him uneasy. He's definitely going to have to worry about her. Since when did El become such a charmer? 'She's literally only lived in a lab and my home her entire life!' He found himself thinking, at a loss. 'Time to start monitoring her soaps, god help me...' and he cringed.

Mike pulled El to her feet, which wasn't a hard task since she was so skinny; and grabbed her around the waist to help support her, until Nancy was able to get to her.

Eleven felt her face go pale. Using her powers had never made her so tired before. She HATED it. She had grown accustomed to being on her own the last few days and a part of her liked it. Making her irritable about the fact that she needed help for everything right now.

"You alright?" Mike whispered to her, noticing the green tinge to her skin and the frustration in her brow.

El gave Mike a weak smile. "Be back real soon."  
She whispered back, right before Nancy stepped up, talking Mike's place and slowly guiding her to the bathroom. Joyce was already inside drawing the water for her when they got there.

As soon as El was out of sight, he felt all eyes on him. Except Hopper who was looking boredly out the window as he relaxed against the wall. "What?" Mike asked challenging, preferring to get the teasing over with already.

"Yep... There's the cranky old Mike I know. I was wondering when he'd be back." Max replied sarcastically before taking a seat on the opposite side of the couch. 

"Seriously?" Mike replied in disbelief.

Max was about to reply, but before Mike had even finished speaking, Dustin excitedly jumped in on the fun of teasing Mike. "So did you make out with her?" He asked, putting extra emphasis on the "make out" and following the whole thing up by batting his eyelashes and making kissy faces. 

At this Mike actually choked, and Hopper who had still been leaning up against the wall nearest the foyer found himself thrown into the conversation. While Max and Lucas erupted into roars of laughter.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah.... first of all, you guys better not of been," Hopper found himself saying loudly over all the noise. Here he goes... "She has only seen you for like an hour, out of this whole past year."

"No thanks to you," Mike muttered softly into the last of his coughing fit.

Hopper gave him an eye.

"Secondly, if you break her heart Wheeler," Hopper warned seriously, "It'll be the last thing you do." All the kids turned to face Mike, eyes wide as saucers. 

"Oh shit!" Dustin exclaimed as quietly as he could looking in disbelief at Max and Lucas.

Hopper didn't literally mean it. The kid was a nerd anyways, what was he going to do. It was more El he had to worry about. She was a fire cracker. And if Mike ever did hurt El, she could snap his arm or something before Mike would even be able to apologize. From Hoppers point of view, with her temper, the warning was more to help him out. He was doing the kid a favor... (Little did he know, El would NEVER hurt Mike.) 

Either way, a little fear is healthy right?

"And thirdly, come on guys?" He said now addressing the group. He could feel all the kids holding their breaths in fear, and hoping to god one day that would rub off on El. "For the love of god, not in front of me. Please? All though their 'young love,'" at this point he just felt like torchering Wheeler a bit further, enjoying seeing his ears glow more and more by the second, "might be entertaining for the rest of you." He said pointing at around the room at all the kids. "It's going to give me a heart attack. At least let me leave first..." He finished off lightening the air with a teasing tone. 

All the kids let out nervous laughs.

"But seriously Wheeler," Hop said at last to re-emphasize his warning, giving him his best cold cop stare, and then he turned to join the teens in the kitchen, sighing under his breath.

"Shit dude!" Lucas was nervously slapping Mike on the shoulder, taking lowly, as though they were keeping some sort of secret. "How's it feel to be dating the Chiefs daughter?" He finished with a wink.

Mike groaned head thrown up towards the ceiling trying to hide his eyes in his palms, as he mumbled something incoherently.

"Guys keep talking," Max said amused. "I want to see if his face can turn as red of a tomato!"

"MAX!" Mike whined now looking at her as if in pain.

"See guys! LOOK! He is so close!" Max replied, pointing at his face, this time not able to conceal her giggles.

"Thought I heard something," came a tiny voice sleepily from the doorway.

"BYERS!" Everybody shrieked! Stampeding over to give him a colossal big hug. He was thin and frail, brushed and visibly weak, but no one cared; just glad to have their friend back.

"Um guys?" Will said in a concerned tone from the center of the hug, immediately getting everyone's attention. "My feet aren't touching the ground.

"Shhhhh... just let it happen." Dustin teased.

Will casted his eyes at the ceiling in mock annoyance, but he couldn't keep the grin off his face.

After a few more seconds everyone let go.

"So what's going on?" Will asked the group as Mike lead him over to the couch to sit down. 

He was no longer in a hospital gown but was now in a plain t-shirt and long flannel pajama bottoms.

"Oh just the Cheif threatening Mike about dating his daughter." Max said in a densely dreamy voice.

"Yeah it was honestly kinda frightening." Lucas added excitedly.

"Wait... what?" Will asked groggily wiping his eyes. "What did I miss?" He exclaimed. "Wait, your not playing a prank on me right? Cause that would be totally mean..." 

"Well honestly, you didn't miss a while lot. We haven't actually talked about it yet. You woke up just in time actually. All you need to know is Eleven came back, she's been living with the Cheif in secret for a year, and after the mind flayer came out of you, she closed the gate." Mike told Will trying to fill him in quickly. 

"Wait, if Eleven is back, then where is she?" Will said looking around skeptically. 

"She's getting a shower." Mike replied.

"And she's really back?" Will asked, feeling his nerves rising. He had never actually met El.

"Yeah, she is." Mike said in a tone full of happiness, sadness, and love. A tone Will instantly knew was real.

"Wow, that's great," Will said to Mike genuinely, knowing how much this meant to him.

Mike beamed back.

"Oh and Mike conveniently forgot to tell you that you missed how now she looks like a bad ass, slicked backed hair, black clothes, the whole thing. And Mike just got the don't mess with my daughter talk from the Cheif." Dustin added.

"No way! Really?" Will looked around in disbelief. "Why does all the good stuff only happen when I'm in another dimension, or being possessed by monsters?" Will whined throwing his hands up in the air.

Everyone managing small smiles. Jonathan watching the group from the doorway.

"And that's it? That's all I missed?" Will asked clarifying. 

"Well, that... AND we were just trying to tease Mike to see how much he can take before he turns the same color as a tomato!" Max interjected. "We were pretty close!"

"Bite me Max," Mike retorted, receiving the middle finger in response. "Don't make me regret letting you in the party for good." Mike said. 

"And that's everything?" Will asked again.

"Yeah we decided to wait for everybody before we each told what happened tonight." Mike responded.

"Great."

With that everyone got quiet. Seconds turning slowly into minutes. Steve coming finally to join Will on the couch, and everyone else finding a seat somewhere in the room or sitting on the floor.

"What have you shit heads been up to?" Steve asked breaking the silence. "Besides teasing Wheeler... I heard every second of that." He nooded around at the group approvingly.

"Yeahhh," Dustin said smiling and fist-bumping Steve. 

"What's up with that?" Will leaned over and whispered to Mike, tuning out the rest of Steve and Dustin's conversation.

"Oh yeah, long story short they bonded over, well I'm not sure what, but they are like best friends now." 

"Dustin?" Will asked.

Mike nodded.

"With Steve...?" Will said slowly, taken aback. 

"Yeah. He's kinda awesome." Mike whispered back. "We will explain later." As an after thought he added, "Oh and I really don't know what happened, but I think Nancy dumped Steve and is now dating your brother."

"What?!" Will whispered quietly, feeling like he's just been hit by a curve ball from left field.

"Yeah..." Mike trailed off.

"What the hell? I've only been knocked out for a few hours!" Will whined again slumping back against the couch. 

The room fell back into silence. Jim and Jonathan were dragging in the chairs from the kitchen and waiting with the rest of the group. 

Jim got up heading towards the kitchen for another cup of coffee when El finally made her way out of the bathroom, walking slowly with Nancy and Joyce in tow.

While she was still exhausted, the bath had worked wonders. She felt refreshed, and a tiny bit stronger. She finally felt enough strength to make her way back on her own. Her hair was back to its normal curly mop, the ends still slightly damp, but it was much more dry it usually was after her baths thanks to Nancy. She had helped her towel dry it considerably more efficiently than she usually did on her own. El really wanted Nancy to teach her how to do that. Her was face clean, no more blood, no more makeup. She didn't have clothes to change into so she just re-put the cuffed jeans and black shirt and jacket back on. But with the lack of makeup it and slick backed hair, she looked more sweet, and less defiant. 

"There's my curly haired girl." Jim said smiling at El as she entered the kitchen, voice carrying into the other room.

El smiled contently back at him, still not in view of her friends, while the party exchanged glances. 'Did he say curly haired?'

"Holy shit." Dustin exclaimed as she rounded the corner. 

Mike, who had been playing with his hands, looked up, jaw dropping instantly. If he had thought she was pretty before, that was nothing to how she looked now. Mike stood up mindlessly, walking over to Eleven, staring at her all the while.

"Is that Eleven?" Will asked Lucas softly.

"Yeah," Lucas whispered back not taking his eyes off her, still not believing his eyes.

"Why is everyone staring at her like that?" Will asked again, watching Mike approach El. 

"Just 10 minutes ago she was covered in blood, black makeup, and her hair was slicked back. No one knew she had curly hair." Lucas explained, now looking over at Will who nodded understanding. Will began figeting and Lucas could tell he was nervous. "She's cool, I swear."

Will nodded, watching Mike and El interacting with each other, for the first time, curiously. He found himself watching, and still not believing the complete shift in personality he saw in Mike.  

Will had heard the guys whisper behind Mike's back every once and a while, about El and Mike, and how they were completely different together. Dustin called it love, Lucas called it sick. But none of that had made it real for Will. 

Sure, he knew it happened. Hell, who was he to judge, he had lived in another dimension being terorized by a demogorgon for a week, only to come back and be possessed by a shadow monster afterwards. He could only imagine how everyone else might be struggling to wrap their heads around that one. But something about not living through it, changed his ability to actually imagine it. When he found himself thinking about the story of the crazy girl, born in a government lab as an experiment with super powers, the girl Mike was supposedly madly in love with, the girl that somehow had saved him and then disappeared into thin air; it was so insane that it only ever felt like a story. Something you would read about. To weird to have ever been more than a fantasy. 

The closest it had ever been to feeling real was when Mike told him on Halloween that, "Eleven would [understand]. She always did." Something about hearing Mike's sadness in the moment brought him closer to understanding the bond his best friend shared with the girl he had never met. 

But now, here she was. Real in the flesh. A stranger he knew everything, and nothing about. He couldn't help but feel nervous, all the while studying the two together.

Mike had now reached El, the walk only taking a few seconds, having completely forgotten everyone else was in the room with them. He allowed himself to raise his hand up and lightly touch one of the curls next to her face. He marveled in its softness, watching it lightly bounce as he touched it. His face slowly switching from shock to a dopey grin. "You keep surprising me." He breathed to her.

"A good surprise?" El asked curiously. 

"Yes!" Mike said with a boldness that made her lower stomach heat up in a way it never had before. Then he excitedly poked the strand again causing El to giggle. "Pretty." He breathed, and El smiled bigger her stomach now summersalting. 

"Alright you two," Hopper said as he returned back to the room, instantly reminding El and Mike where they were, and causing Mike to blush furiously. 

Hopper had a fresh cup of coffee, and Joyce was following him into the room with a feshly lit cigarette. Nancy, brought up the rear, and went to sit on the floor in front of Jonathan, and Steve; both of whom were now sitting in the kitchen chairs. 

"We may as well get this over with. No sense in waiting any longer." Hopper added, taking the last kitchen chair next to Joyce. Causing the party to stir in excitement. They were dying to know what had happened.

"Do you need help back to your seat?" Mike asked.

El shrugged, but held onto Mike's arm anyways as he guided her back to the couch. Hopper pretending not to notice. 

"Any other surprises I should know about?" Mike asked as they walked back. 

"Maybe a few." El whispered back, not wanting to lie to Mike, her face contorting in a mixture of mischief and guilt. "Later..."

Everyone was arranging themselves around in a circle, and El was three steps away from the couch when she saw him.

"Will!" She exclaimed happily, looking over her shoulder excitedly to Joyce, before making the last few steps over to Will and gently hugging him.

Everyone watched, Max a bit jealously, at the scene unfolding in front of them.

Will's eyes were wide in surprise as he accepted the hug, obviously not expecting the sudden outburst, nor how they were meeting. Will met Mike's eyes over El's shoulder and saw he was grinning at them like nothing in the world could make him happier. 

"Hi Eleven." Will said back to her, his voice still horse. He couldn't help but feel a wholeness to the room, like before there had been a peice missing. 

As El pulled back out of the hug; and even though he had only known the girl for a few seconds, he suddenly knew... He just knew, down to his bones, that finally, the puzzle that was their crazy little group, was finally complete. Everyone may have been sitting banged up, dirty, and bruised in the living room, but everyone was together. Sharing more love in this one night than most friends ever could in a lifetime. Everyone having their own place, perfectly adding to the balance of the unit; unrealizing that they were slowly becoming one giant, adopted family; and Will had never been more grateful for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys I am amazed by all of your incredible support. I uploaded chapter 8 two nights ago, and I don't know what happened but when I checked last night I was up exactly 310 hits and by 17 kudos, and 3 new bookmarks, and 2 new comments. I completely freaked out!!! Besides the first few days I have been getting only a few hits a day, 10 if I was lucky, which I thought was amazing since this is my first fic and everything. So, I'm not sure what happened, or why I am suddenly getting so many views, but you have no idea how much I appreciate it! 
> 
> Needless to say, that motivated me to get this chapter out to you guys sooner as my way of saying thank you! 
> 
> As I already said, next chapter will be everyone filling each other in, and I might also be able to get that chapter out to you guys pretty quickly too. These chapters are the ones I have been dying to write since I started the fic. 
> 
> Again THANK YOU ALL so much! Newcomes, and everyone who's been with me since the beginning. ♡♡♡Much love! ♡♡♡


	10. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone explains what they were doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this turned out much longer than I anticipated. I thought about breaking it apart. But I didn't know how to divide it up.
> 
> For everyone reading this chapter, it's pretty much a recap of everything season 2. So nothing new is happening. But everyone is finally telling each other everything that went down. You'll know most everything already, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to write everyone's reactions.
> 
> If the chapters not your speed I understand. Don't fret, the following chapters should return to the same style as the previous ones. 
> 
> Without further adue...

El pulled back from the hug, smiling warmly, before dropping in the seat next to Will and motioning for Mike to sit next to her.

"What the hell Eleven?" Dustin whined.

"Yeah, so Mike and Will get an epic hello... And we don't?" Lucas joked.

El shrugged looking between them. "Will was in danger," she said straightforwardly before turning to Mike. "...and..." She realized she didn't have the words to explain how she was feeling, so she turned back to the other boys shrugging again "Mike." She added simply, not knowing how to put it any other way.

Everyone understood.

"I want a do over..." Dustin mumbled anyways, still pretending to be jealous.

The group, for a moment, sat exchanging glances, everyone waiting for someone else to start the conversation.

Steve gave everyone one last impatient stare. "So are we going to talk about this or what?" 

"Yeah.." Hopper cleared his throat. "I want to hear the whole story." With emphasis, he added, "From the very beginning." 

"Who starts?" Mike asked.

For a minute nobody spoke.

"How much, 'from the beginning,' do you mean exactly?" Dustin asked hesitantly.

"What do I not know?" Hopper asked back.

"Um..." Dustin gulped. 

"Why don't you start by telling me how you all knew to meet us at the lab."

"Well, We didn't know to, it was just kind of a coincidence that we did actually... But if we are starting at the very very beginning, then that would be three days ago, and I know you already know about Will throwing up slugs... well they evolved, and I didn't know that. So when I found one in my trash, I thought it was just a rare species of lizard, so I gave it nugut..."

"Ok from now on, new creatures you have never seen before get brought to me, just in case they are alien." Hopper interjected cutting him off.

"Yeah, alright." Dustin continued. "Anyways, I showed it to these guys at school. And it got lost. We didn't find it. When I got home I found it back in my room, and I didn't tell anyone because I was scared they would hurt him. When I got home today he had turned into a baby demodog, and ate my cat, Mews. My mom thought she ran away, so I sent her on a fake wild goose chase, and lead Dart to the cellar."

"Dart?" Hopper asked confused. 

"Oh yeah, I named him Dart... You know, short for D'Artagnan?" Dustin explained.

"You named the baby demodog?" Nancy asked incredulously.

"To be fair, I thought he was a lizard." Dustin said defensively. "ANYWAYS... I led him into the cellar, and trapped him there. I tried calling the party on our supercoms, but no one answered, I guess cause Mike and Will were at Hawkins with you, and,"

"And my sister stole my supercom and turned it off so I had no idea anything was going on..." Lucas interrupted, explaining in annoyance.

"Yeah, so I went over to Mike's house and found Steve," 

Nancy looked at Steve sadly, mouth open squarely in concern, clearly feeling guilty. Steve avoiding her eyes by pointedly staring at Dustin.

"And by the time we got back, Dart had made a tunnel out of the basement. Which is a total disaster by the way. I do not know how I'm going to explain that to my mom..." Dustin explained, waiving his arms dramatically and punctuating each word. "So Steve and I made a trap for him, in the junkyard. Max and Lucas tagged along and then all of a sudden we were surrounded by them, and Steve was hitting them with his bat. We hid in the bus, and then they all ran away. So we followed their trail and it lead us to Hawkins, where we met Nancy and Jonathan." Dustin finished looking pleased with himself.

Hopper turned to Nancy and Jonathan. Steve also staring at them. "So how did you guys know to meet us there."

"Also, halfway a coincidence." Nancy said shifting uncomfortably.

"Actually where were you for the last two days Jonathan? I was so worried about Will I didn't even get a chance to worry about you too." Joyce added with motherly anxiousness.

"Um," Jonathan said awkwardly. He looked from his mom to Nancy, who nodded at him encouragingly, before looking back at his mom. "Well you see..." he began again.  
   
"Its my fault you didn't know where he was Mrs. Byers."  Nancy burst out, looking down at her feet. 

Mike and Steve turned and stared at her. 

"You see, I was fed up with everything... With Barb. I just couldn't let it go. And Jonathan was really just trying to help me feel better, so two days ago, I convinced him to skip 4th period with me and we called Barb's mom as a prank and told her that if she wanted to know what really happened to Barb, she would meet us at the park and we gave her a time, and..."

"You did what?!" Hopper barked, cutting her off, causing Nancy to shrink back in her seat looking frightened. The party members all looking around at each other.

"Just let her explain Cheif," Jonathan said holding a hand up to stop him from shouting.

"Nancy.... after all of our dinner's with the Holland's, how could you do that to them?"  Steve asked perplexed, mouth gaped open.

"I know..." Nancy said dejected. "But I only did it because I knew Hawkins listens in on the phone lines. Remember last year? We were setting them up."

The kids gasped in surprise. Here they were thinking Nancy wad being stupid, but she had outsmarted them all.

"See, right before, we had gone to the store and had..." Jonathan gulped, "we had Bob help us get all sorts of tiny audio recoders." Jonathan glanced at his mom seeing tears brim in her eyes. "We told him it was for a class project." He said looking to his lap, shamefully. "Then we planted them under our coats and in Nancy's purse and waited where we told Barb's Mom to meet us." He looked up again seriously. "Every person in the park was spying on us, and when we tried to leave they took us into Hawkins."

"Yeah, when we got there we met Dr. Owens, and he explained how it was dangerous for the truth to get out. He unknowingly admitted that the lab was responsible for Barb's death, and Will disappearance. All of which we got on tape." 

"So then what?" Hopper asked, truly hoping that was the end of it.

"We drove to Murray Bauman's place." Jonathan answers.

Hopper couldn't help it. He groaned rubbing his temple. "Murray Bauman? Crazy old Bauman? You went to him? That's just great... I've been trying to throw him off El's case this whole last year. Do you even know what kind of a mess you may of just started?"

"You didn't let us finish." Nancy replied steadfast, holding her ground this time. 

Steve couldn't help but feel a little better about his case now after listening to Nancy's. Maybe he wasn't as screwed as he thought he would be.

"Fine. Go on." Hopper growled.

"So we got there and he had this board of information about the lab, Eleven, Barb, all sorts of conspiracy theories. So I sat down straightened them out and filled him in on the real story, and then played him the tape with the confession."

"Oh god..." Hopper groaned again.

"Then he began drinking," 

In Hoppers mind, that was the first thing Murray had ever done, that he could relate to.

"And he helped us spin a story that wasn't exactly the truth, because anyone that would of heard the original would think we were nuts. So he helped us create one that was close to the truth, but played on normal, every day peoples fears. We came up with the idea that Hawkins had been improperly disposing biotoxins into the enviornment and that was what killed Barb. We typed up a whole report, leaving out Eleven of course, and made several copies of the tape with the confession and put them in anonymous envolopes and sent them out to every media station in the area. We are exposing the lab for everything they have done, in a way that normal people can understand, without bringing up monsters and all that other shit." Nancy finished.

"Now we just wait for some station to grab on to the story." Jonathan added proudly.

"And Murray?" Hopper asked, still not completely convinced.  
   
"Has no idea of your involvement, swore to secrecy on El's identity, before letting us crash at his place for the night.. and now never wants to see us again." Nancy replied, conviently leaving out the part about her and Jonathan sleeping together, and looking down to hide the fact that her cheeks were turning bright red from the memory.

Mike snorted. "I can see why..." he pointed out.

Hopper nodded finally appeased with the whole situation.  
   
Everyone sat stunned for a minute. 

"What will happen to Hawkins Lab?" El asked quietly from her spot on the couch. Mike grabbed her small hand to comfort her, squeezing her fingers lightly.

"Hopefully they will close down." Nancy replied softly to her.

El could not have looked more please. And she slowly stood up, walked over to Nancy and Jonathan, hugging them both gratefully.

"Thank you." she said sincerely to each of them." Mike couldn't help but feel his eyes tear up, happy for El, and proud of his sister.

"You had me going for a scare pretty much the entire time, but I have to admit, you did good guys," Hopper replied gratefully.

Nancy and Jonathan exchanged relieved expressions.

"So how did you guys know to go to Hawkins?" Lucas asked.  
   
"Oh yeah," Nancy said. Completely forgetting that was the whole point of her story. "We got back, saw all this, she said waiving her hands around, and then Jonathan found poloriads, which weren't his so we followed a hunch, and that's where we met you lot."

"Ok so is everyone caught up to when we all me then?" The group had already having discussed what happened at the lab the last time they got back.

Everyone nodded.

A small cough came from the corner of the couch, and everyone looked over to see Will shyly looking around. "Actually, I don't know what happened after you guys knocked me out in the lab..."

Everyone exchanged worried looks. The air suddenly becoming very thick in the room. 

Joyce stood up numbly, and Jim watched her with a worried expression as she walked up to Will, kneeling down and grabbing both of his hands in hers. "After we knocked you out," Joyce began. Her voiced quaked slightly, speaking with trained patience, but she kept her face blank. "demo dogs swarmed the inside of the lab. They began attacking people and then the power went out." She paused taking a deep breath, trying to stay strong for her boy. Right now, he needed her to be strong. "Bob bravely went down by himself, and he recoded the computer, to open the doors..." Her hands were trembling slightly but she ignored them. 

"Mom?" Will asked her starting to feel real worried. The way she was speaking was scaring him a bit. Realizing the lack of Bob's presence frightening him even more. "He's ok though right?"

"No sweetie..." Joyce said squeezing his hands, tears falling hotly down her cheeks. 

"W-what happened?" Will asked shakily.

"On his way back out, he um, he hit the main entrance and..." Her voice was shaking. Each time she closed her eye's to blink away the tears, she saw him. Laying on the ground, covered in blood reaching for her hand.  
She was trying her best to stay strong for Will, but a single sob racked through her throat. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Hop.

"Gone?" El asked for Will, who looked too dumbfounded to speak. 

"Yeah kid... Gone." Hop answered. "Three demo dogs attacked him at the entrance. I tried to shoot them but it was too late." 

"That's not fair!" Will stood up, clenched fists and shaking. Bob may not of given Will the advice he needed, but at least he tried, at least he didn't treat Will like he was fragile. Like everybody else had. He may of had a wierd taste in music and movies, but Will had liked him all the same. No. He couldn't be dead! He just couldn't be. He had been so close... He'd pull himself together and walk through the door any second now. 

"I'm sorry kid, but it's true." Hopper said slowly. "He died saving us all. He was truly Bob Newby,  Superhero." Hopper may of thought the nickname was stupid before, but now Hop ment it in the most meaningful of ways. He fully deserved that nickname.

Joyce let out another sob at the words. That was the last thing Bob said to her before he died.

"No..." Will said again, feeling defeat.

He felt a hand grabbing his, and looked over numbly. El was holding his hand staring at him eyes conveying a look of such deep concern, sorrow, and comfort that he felt a chill run down his spine. No one had ever looked at him like that before. Slowly everyone got up, making their way over to Joyce and Will, placing a hand on them or hugging them in support. Everyone staying like that until all the tears were gone, the ones who knew Bob best recovering from sniffles.

 After everyone pulled away, no one returned to their actual seats, except Will, El, and Mike, who were all still sitting on the couch. Lucas scooting in on the other side of Will. Max sat cross legged by Lucas's legs, and Dustin sat sprawled next to Max. Hopper and Joyce scooted back, Hopper keeping an arm wrapped around Joyce's lower back to keep her grounded. Jonathan sat next to his mom, legs steched out. Nancy sat on her knees next to Jonathan with Steve on the other side, keeping just enough space on either side of her to avoid making either guy jealous. Not that she's sure that they would be, but still, playing it safe. And Steve found himself sitting on the floor, also cross legged, next to Mike's legs. The whole group was so much closer together than they initially started off as, making the whole circle feel more intimate. 

"So what happened after we got back?" Will asked after the long silence, desperately wanting to move on and stop thinking about Bob.

"We came back here, and that's when El showed up, and we made a plan to get the mindflayer out of you before El closed the gate." Mike said reverently, still feeling the sadness like it was hanging in the air around them.

"Ok, so now for the good stuff right?" Dustin asked, a hint of excitement creeping in his voice.

Joyce managed a semi tearful laugh, wiping her eyes and doing her best to get control over herself for all of the kids sakes. "Yeah, time for the good stuff." She said also feeling ready to talk about something other than Bob. "Why don't you guys go first, since we have no clue what you guys did. While we were all gone." She said trying her best to tease them.

Max, Dustin, Lucas, Mike and Steve all glanced at each other silently trying to decide who would speak first. 

"For the love of Christ," Steve said looking at all of them disapointely. "I'll start then." He sighed shaking his head.

"Ok first off I would like you to know I tried my best." He started off looking from Hopper to Joyce to Nancy, simultaneously receiving four scowls. "We were all waiting here like we were TOLD to do, when these shit heads decide they wanted to help, and they began to formulate a plan." 

"It was a good plan, don't even try to deny it!" Dustin exclaimed taking Steve's tone personally.

"You let them follow though with a plan?" Hopper asked jumping to conclusions.

"No! No. I did not say that." Steve said flickering his eyes to the Chief and talking with his hands. 

"We figured El would need something to distract the demo dogs away from her so she could focus on closing the gate. Best way to do the was to burn the hub in the tunnels, causing the hive mind to freak out, and they would run towards the fire trying to figure out what happened." Mike explained quickly, Lucas and Dustin nodding their encouragement.

"I told them absolutely not, and that was SUPPOSED to be the end of it." Steve snapped, looking at the four kids.

"So then what?" Will asked curiously.

"My asshole of a brother showed up." Max said bitterly. "He's a complete dick. Angry all the time, he usually takes it out on me," Max continued looking at Lucas now. "So when he showed up here, I knew he would kill me if he found me. So Steve met him outside... And we watched from the window trying not to let him see us." She explained. 

"Which he did anyways." Steve added.

"Yeah and then Billy punched Steve and came inside anyway," Dustin recalled. 

"I thought he would come after me, but instead he went straight for Lucas... Billy really hates that I hang out with him." She said looking at her shoes guiltily.

"Before I knew it he had grabbed me and slammed me into the cabinet over there, and had it not been for Steve he would of completely taken me out." Lucas added gratefully.

They were all taking really fast now excitedly explaining the story.

 "Yeah, so I came back in and tried to fight him off." Steve explained.

"Which is how you got all that..." Nancy said connecting the dots and pointing to his face.

"Yeah." Steve replied.

"Steve really tried, and he put up a good fight, but Billy really handed his ass to him." Dustin explained.

Will and El were listening, eyes comically wide.

"Yeah, Billy smashed a plate over his head and punched him until he passed out. I honestly was scared he was going to die..." Mike added.

Joyce and Nancy exchanging worried looks and each studying his face while listening to the story.

"Then I saw the syringe and the bottle you guys used on Will and I grabbed it."

"It was awesome! She just walked up while Billy was punching Steve, and just shoved it into his neck, like that." Dustin said demonstrating on himself, pretending his fingers were a syringe.

Hopper nodded impressed at Max, "Smart thinking."

Max let herself grin.

"And then she took Steve's bat and held it over Billy and made him promise that he would leave us all alone. When he didn't she swung it so it almost hit his balls, and then made him promise, which he did right before he passed out." 

Max noticed El staring at her and gave her a half smile, which El did not return. El realized she may not like Max because of how she was with Mike, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Suddenly realizing there was more than one kind of bad men in the world and sympathizing with her for it. No one deserved that. It still didn't change the fact that she didn't like the girl, but still.

"Are you all ok?" Joyce asked looking each one of them over.

"Yes." Everyone replied.

"So then what?" Will asked again, dying to know more.

"Then I stole Billy's keys, we grabbed supplies and Mike, Dustin, and Lucas carried Steve to the car, and I drove everybody to the spot you fell in the tunnels at." Max said looking at Hopper.

"You what?" Hopper asked spraying himself with a mouthful of coffee. 

"I told you I had no say in the matter..." Steve added.

Joyce looked at him ammused, knowing full well if these kids decided they were going to do something, then by god, they were going to do it.

"You drove?" Jonathan asked Max, finally joining in the conversation.

"Yeah I had driven before. In parking lots and stuff."

"Then Steve woke up in the car and began flipping his shit," Lucas added.

"She drives like a maniac!" Shouted Steve defensively.

"Zoomer." Max, Lucas, and Dustin exclaimed.

"Whatever, don't pretend you weren't screaming like a little girl Sinclair..." Steve countered, crossing his arms and leaning back against the edge of the couch.

Hop and Joyce couldn't help but share brief ammused looks.

"He tried to make us stop, when we got there. He really did," Dustin added feeling just a smidge guilty for throwing him under the bus like they had all night, "But we told him we were doing it anyways, so he may as well come with us and keep us safe."

"So I followed the shit heads into the tunnels and lead them to Mike's little 'hub'," Steve said defetedly.

"And then we drenched the sucker and torched it." Max said.

"Oh my God." Joyce fussed. "You all could of been killed!"

"Mhmmm... what did I tell you guys..." Steve said, nodding a thank you to Joyce for proving his point.

"Whatever," Mike exclaimed... knowing why they did it made all the difference in the world to him.

"And then we were all running back to the entrance of the tunnel, when we ran into Dart, who was now a full sized demodog." Max continued.

Will gasped again, sucked up in the story. Hugging his knees and listening intently, "What happened next?" 

"I fed him nugat." Dustin shrugged simply, pit of his stomach feeling a tiny bit guilty for killing his pet. But he had to live. "And we slipped past."

"We all started climbing out of the tunnels, and only Steve and Dustin were left when this stampede of demo dogs went running past past them." Lucas was quick to add.

Everyone gazed wide eyes at Steve and Dustin.

 "Yeah they ran right past us, apparently Wheeler's plan wasn't a bad one after all," Steve said, giving the kid credit, "And then we hurried out of the tunnels before any of them had a chance to change their mind. And drove home and waited here for you guys to return." Steve finished.

El had been listening silently the whole time. Once the story had ended, she sat looking at each of them before speaking, "You guys did this, to help me?" She asked shyly, mainly looking at Mike.

"It was worth it," Mike replied smiling at her.

Hop shook his head, still absorbing the craziness. 

"I still can't believe you guys did that..." Nancy said, looking disapprovingly at the kids. She definitely had to thank Steve later.

"We're all ok aren't we?" Mike retorted stubbornly back.

"I mean yeah," Nancy said. 

"Then obviously it was fine." He replied heatedly.

"Still... It was dangerous, and you're lucky your ok." She replied stubbornly back. 

"While I'm not agreeing that it was the smartest thing you guys have ever done, we appreciate the sentiment. Just never do something like that again." Hopper said. "Actually, new rule, if you are under 18, with out an adult, or if an adult tells you no, and there is a chance that you might die. Just wait... ok?"

Everyone grumbled consents, which no one planned to actually follow.

Will suddenly grew anxious, aware the next part of the story would be about him. It was inevitable, and he began shifting nervously in his seat, half wishing he could disappear. It would be better than watching as everyone as they heard about the monster coming out of him. Part of him worried everyone would see him as the monster instead. Dreading the looks his friends would give him. He was sick of everyone looking at him differently. Surely this wasn't going to fix that.

"So I guess it's us next, isn't it?" Joyce asked.

"I guess it is..." Hopper replied.

"Hmmm, ok." Joyce said taking a deep breath. She didn't particularly want to relive the last few hours but she knew there was no avoiding it. So she may as well get it over with... "Well for starters, our story isn't nearly as exciting as yours." She said giving her best smile she could muster to the kids. 

Dustin, Lucas, and Max all exchanging semi pleased looks.

"We got to the cabin, tied Will down, and turned on the heaters and then we just waited. After a while Will woke up, the monster possessing him, and he was screaming. It was scary. I turned the heaters up just wanting to get it out of him." Joyce continued, just stating the facts,  trying to take the emotion out of the event so she could actually get through it. 

 "Which terrified me." Jonathan added reverently. "I thought it was going to kill him." 

Nancy grabbed his fingers to comfort him, and then quickly let go not wanting to make anything awkward.   

Will felt a growing sense of anxiousness, and found himself unable to look up at anyone. Staring at the stitching on the couch.

"Then things got real intense because Will got loose from his restraints and started choking his mom." Nancy said. Will felt a growing sense of uncomfortablility, and Hopper looked at both him and Joyce trying to assess them silently. Nancy stared back at Will, feeling extremely guilty. "And so I took a the iron poker out of the fire and used it against Will to get him to let go. Which I am so sorry about, Will,"  
   
"You burnt Will with a fire poker?" Mike exclaimed leaning forward to get a better look at Nancy. But she didn't look back at him. She stayed staring tearfully at Will.

Will finally looked up, feeling he had no choice, and glanced at Nancy's face, which was brimming with tears. "It's ok Nancy," he said. The burn hurt like hell, but he could tell how much this was eating her up inside. "It... -it wasn't me... I know you were just acting fast and doing what you could to help. It's alright." He looked at her sincerely and met her eyes.

She nodded gratefully at him, wiping the few tears that had trickled down her cheeks.

Joyce smiled proudly at her son. Always so kind hearted. "Then these black vines started traveling up your neck and they covered your face. And all of a sudden this black shadow came out of your mouth, and it shot out the window. After that we just took a little bit to relax and we came back here." Joyce finished.

"So your ok now?" Max asked concerned, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit skeptical. What if it wasn't completely out of him yet.

"I think so." Will said, by this point back to staring at the fibers in the couch so hard he could have burned a hole though them. He could feel all eyes on him and he just wanted it to end. 

"I'm glad you're ok kid." Hopper said sincerely, surprising Will.

"Thanks Chief." When he looked up again he was even more surprised to find everyone staring at him, smiling, and nodding their agreement. He had expected everyone to be scared of him, not this. "You-you guys don't... -don't think I'm a monster?" He stammered not hiding his shock.

"Never," Mike said reaching across El to grab rub his knee.

"No way," Lucas added.

"Not a chance," Dustin agreed.

"Not a monster," El added looking at Will seriously. If anyone knew what he was feeling, it was her.

"Thanks guys." Will said warmth spreading though his chest.

Joyce looked around the small circle, happy tears accumulating in her eyes. "Thank you," she echoed her son. "I don't think Will could of found any better friends even if he tried." She said praising the group.

At this everyone looked around shyly. Sentiment heavy. The room overflowing with love again and dopey grins.

 "And I guess that just leaves us." Hopper said looking at El.

Dustin began rubbing his hands together. "Finally, the part I've been wating for!" He said excitedly.

Everyone shifted anxiously. Mike looking at El to be sure she was ok. But El just kept staring at Hopper.

"So how did she close the gate?" Lucas asked, curiosity overtaking his ability to wait.

"Please don't leave out a single detail," Dustin begged.

"Alright. Alright," Hopper said, pretending and failing to be annoyed. Pausing again before he started. While everyone else had been talking he had been trying to figure out the best way to tell everyone everything. "Ok, so I realize we owe you all an explanation, on everything. So I figured we would talk about the gate, and then El and I will do our best to tell you everything else after. Is that alright with everyone else?" 

Everyone shrugged or nodded their consent. 

Hopper nodded. "Ok." 

Hopper looked back at El before starting. "Do you want me to tell it, or are you?" He asked her jokingly. Just as he expected she raised her eyebrow at him. Wordlessly asking 'seriously?' He chuckled before looking at everyone else.

"Well, we got to the lab, and it was empty. We went down the stairs and no one was there except Dr. Owens, and so I introduced him to Eleven, and made him think about helping give her the life she deserves in exchange for her closing the gate. Then we went down to the basement where the gate was, and it was swarming with demo dogs. And I was about to start shooting them, when they all just ran away. I guess we have you guys to thank for that." He said looking gratefully for the first time at Mike before turning his gaze to Steve, Dustin, Lucas and Max. Lucas and Dustin giving a not so subtle high-five, and Mike felt a smile creep to his lips.

"Then we walked out to the gate and got on a scaffold and began to lower so we were level to it."

"What did the gate look like?" Dustin asked eagerly.

"Hold your horses, I was getting there." Hopper replied, while in reality, he was actually going to skip over that part, not even really thinking about it. But the way Dustin asked, reminded Hopper of Sara, and how much she loved a good story. So he found himself going into story telling mode. Feeding off the excitement of the kids around him.

"The gate was huge. About as tall as a football field." He watched the kids all go wide eyes and look around at each other. El smiled watching her friends. "And you know how an egg looks before it is cooked?" Hop asked, trying his best to explain.

"The yolk or the white part?" Max asked impatiently.

"The white part." Hopper replied. "The gate looked like a giant yolk was spread across the entire thing, just much thicker and less see through." The kids nodded. Hopper could tell even Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve were hanging on his every word at this point. "But it was also like it was a see though version of someone's skin. And the entire thing was glowing red, and the light was pulsating, like the gate was breathing or something."

"Woah," one of the kids breathed.

"Then when we stopped she lifted her hand," Hopper said, looking at El, who was sitting watching as he told the story. 

El was excited hearing it too. Even though she had lived the event, it felt much different in the moment. Plus no one had ever told a story about her in her presence before, and she found it kind of exciting, enjoying the feeling of being talked about in a non-clinical way. 

"And she began trying to close the gate. It was slow at first, and then demo dogs came climbing up the tunnel towards us." Hopper could practically feel the group holding their breath. 

"So I began shooting them. I shot two of them before turning back to El, and when I looked back the gate was slowly shrinking, turning back into wall. But I couldn't look very long because more demo dogs came charging at us, a few even leaping from the tunnels to the scaffold. I kept shooting at them til I ran out of bullets and I switched guns. The new gun pretty much exploding the things with one bullet." 

The boys eyes were so big Hopper could of laughed, but he continued. 

"Then I heard El and I turned back around, and through the gate, and you could see the mindflayer. It looked just like Will's picture, and it's head was about the size of the gate." 

Nancy, Joyce, and Dustin all gasped, and he could see Mike reach for El's hand.

"Then one of its leg or arm things came through the center of the gate, straight towards El. Needless to say I forgot about the demo dogs. And El raised her other hand and started screaming. It was terrifying. And slowly she raised off the ground and began levitating as she pushed the mindflayer back through the gate, and closing the gate all the while." 

"Holy shit." Dustin breathed.  
   
Steve's mouth was hanging open, and the rest of the kids looked too shocked to move. Mike turning to gape at El.

"Then she had pushed the mindflayer back through the gate completely, and a few seconds later the gate was closed, and the El fell, and passed out. And all the demo dogs dropped from the walls, instantly dead." Hopper looked at El, and everyone on the room could see the pride in his face as he stared at her.

"And that was it. I brought El and I back up to the landing, carried us back up the stairs. I talked to Dr. Owens and he said he'd try to help us best he could." 

El's eyes lit up and Hopper found himself thinking quickly. "Hold up El, he said he'd try, we have no idea what that means yet. It's one step further than we were, but still..." She slumped back in her seat.

"Then I made him promise that he'd call me in when he got to the hospital." Hopper said now turning to Joyce. "If we don't get a call from him here real soon I'm going back for him." Joyce nodded understandingly. "Then I swiped the security footage and we got the hell out of there." Hopper finished.

Everyone sat stunned for a few minutes. Will's mouth hanging open like Dustin's and Lucas's. Mike turning to smile proudly at El. Joyce smiling at Hop, and Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve all exchanging looks.

"I'm so proud of you." Mike whispered to El and she smiled happily back at him.

"That was awesome!" Dustin finally gathered himself enough to exclaim. 

"Yeah, who knew the Cheif was such a good story teller?" Steve joked, Lucas nodding in agreement.

Hopper couldn't help but feel pleased. "Yeah well don't go telling everyone. I don't want to have everyone coming to ask me to tell them stories all the time... I have no time for that as it is." 

Joyce let out a brief giggle. 

Suddenly, Hopper desperately needed another cigarette. He reached in his pocket pulling one out and sticking it between his teeth, lighting it, and inhaling slowly. Half of him was relieved that the easy part of the story was over with. However, he couldn't help but feel a rising sense of jitteriness, knowing he still had to talk about what him and El had been doing for the past year.

His nerves must of been showing because Joyce places a hand on his arm. The kids sat obviously though, having just finished processing the whole story there heard.

"That was seriously the coolest story EVER." Max said. This time El looked at Max, but she still did not smile or say anything to her.

Then she felt a small hand on her wrist and looked up at Will. "Thank you for everything. For closing the gate, for finding me, killing the demogorgon. For everything." He suddenly felt like he owed her so much.

Eleven smiled back at him nodding.

Mike was still staring at the girl next to him, amazed that someone their age could be so incredible. And he conciously grabbed her hand again. On a regular day he would of been embarrassed for his friends to witness so much PDA from him, but right now he could care less. 

El stared back at Mike softly with her chocolate eyes, taking Mike's breath away.

"Is that all the surprises?" Was all he managed to get out. The smile faltered on El's face. 

"No." She looked at her jeans. 

Everyone looked around the room at each other, wondering what else could possibly surprise them after that.

A weight returned to the room. Euphoria of the moment slowly replaced by curiosity. Everyone suddenly waiting for the rest of the story.

Hopper took one more long drag from his cigarette before beginning again. 

"So... um I guess we still owe you guys an explanation about everything then don't we." It was more of a statement than a question.

Mike sat up straighter, he may of already knew part of the story, but this was the bit he was eager for. Dustin and Will stared at Hopper intently, and Lucas leaned forward in his seat. All of them ready for answers. Max, Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve found themselves also more alert, curiosity getting the better of them.

Hopper took the changes in posture as a yes, and looked at El encouragingly.

She sat silently in her seat, nervously looking at each person's face, looking at Mike's last. Her brow was furrowed. She looked at a loss for what to say, where to start.

"It's alright El." Mike told her encouragingly. "Why don't you start by telling them what you told me?" 

El gulped and nodded. She was incredibly nervous and it was about another minute before she spoke. When she began, she spoke slowly, voice starting quiet, however the room was so silent everyone could still hear her with ease. "I um...." She looked at Mike again and he nodded encouragingly to her. She gave him one small nod back before turning to face everyone, finding herself mainly looking between Hooper, Dustin, Joyce, and Lucas. She continued slowly, "After I killed the demogorgon, I woke up in the upside down. I was scared. I ran and I found a gate. I heard voices through it. Once the voices were gone I climbed through, and walked back to Mike's house." She continued telling them about the bad men and about her running into the forest to hide. This time she didn't break down into tears.

"So you have been back this whole time?" Lucas said, casting a guilty look towards Mike.

"Yes." She replied sadly with an equally guilty expression.

"Oh my god." Dustin sighed sadly.

Mike, Dustin, and Lucas couldn't help but exchange helpless glances. All of the feeling like they should have known.

"I stayed in the woods for a long time. Through the snow." She shivered subconsciously. The group exchanging even guiltier looks. "That's when Hopper found me. Took me home." She said looking at him.

"Yeah" Hopper said, taking over for El. He knew she needed a moment. "My grandpa has an old cabin in the woods. It's not too far from my place, but it is out of the way enough in the woods that it's hard to find. I've just been using it for storage anyways, and I figured it was safer for her there than anywhere else. So we went there. And the next day we began transforming it into a home."

El nodded in agreement. "Cleaned it up, got TV working. Made trip wire." She added.

"Trip wire?" Jonathan asked.

"Yeah," Hopper confirmed before launching into a brief description of what a trip wire was before continuing on with the story. "That way we would know if someone was coming."

"And we made these rules." Hopper said.

"Don't be stupid." El added, slightly disgusted, but also as if it clarified everything. However, it just caused more looks of confusion. 

"Yeah kid," Hopper agreed with her before explaining to everyone else. "They were our 'don't be stupid' rules..."

Max raised an eyebrow at the Cheif.

"Basically the rules were to..."

"Always keep the curtains closed. Only open the door if you hear the secret knock. Don't ever go out alone especially if it's daylight." El recited, sighing heavily at the end.

"Um yeah..." Hopper added awkwardly. 

Mike felt anger bubbling up in him again, And he tried to hold it back. 

"At first it went alright, we went through lots of eggos. I have been teaching her things. We have a word of the day. We read stories. She'd watch TV while I was at work. But well..."

"A year of keeping her hostage and locked up like a slave didn't work well?" Mike added bitterly.

"Ok first of all I did not lock her up like a slave. I hid her to keep her safe." 

El huffed bitterly. And Mike rolled his eyes. 

Everyone else looking around uncomfortable by the tension, and surprised by El's angst.

"Seriously kid. I was doing my best to work my way with the people like Dr. Owens and gain their trust, that way you could have a safe life. And apparently it paid off because Dr. Owens finally agreed to help you out."  
   
"Would it have even happened if there wasn't a monster?" El snapped back, eyes like venom.

Several people flinched. Steve, Lucas, and Dustin looking at each other eyebrows raised, having never seen this side of her. And a bit impressed that she dared to talk at the Cheif that way.

"Hey! What did we talk about in the car?" Hopper raised his voice back at her. 

El sighed collecting herself. "No black holes." She said after a moment, much more calm.

"That's right." Hopper said calmly back at her. 

"So I'm assuming your rules didn't go over so well?" Nancy asked in mild amusement. 

"At first, sure. But then she HAD to go visit Mike, and..."

Mike turned sharply to El. "That's right... I wanted to ask you. You said you heard me 353 days... But how?"

"I listened to the TV. Don't need the bath anymore... And I found you, in the void. Watched you there every day." She said. Her voice was small again.

When he spoke, it was at a matched level of quietness, voice shaking slightly with sadness. "I thought I felt you there sometimes. I thought I was going crazy. But it was really you." He looked in her eyes lamently. 

She stared back at Mike her eyes sorrowful, only seeing him. "It was me." 

Mike gave her a sad smile, and she returned it.

"Anyways," Hopper said, feeling somewhat defeated, "like I said, it worked for a while, but she missed you kid," Hopper said now looking at Mike. He felt bad for the kid. He couldn't even blame him for lashing out.

Mike looked at Hopper half torn between appreciation and bitterness.

"Then four days ago she ran away to find you." Mike looked at El with wide eyes. Not saying anything. But something in the back of his mind pulled at him, like he was forgetting something. He knew this was important. "Which was a mess, she got seen by a mom and daughter, got the cops searching for her. And when she got home we got into a huge fight." 

A look of guilt fluttered across El's face.

"How huge?" Dustin asked curiously. Then realizing how personal his question was, he began to stammer, "I mean you don't have to tell us if you don't want to, Cheif. Sir?"

Hopper had not been planning on going this in depth in the story, but the kids kept pushing all the right buttons. He sighed, these kids were starting to wear him out. "No, no... It's fine. We owe you the explanation anyways, plus it's a perfect lead into to something else... it was a huge fight. We shouted at each other. I took away eggos and tried to take away the TV. She used her powers on me. I got mad at her and ripped the TV cord out. She told me she she hated me, and then I called her a 'brat'. Which I should of never done." He said now looking at El. "Then she threw the dictionary and the couch at me." Jonathan sputtered at this. "And she threw some more furniture, and used her powers to lock herself in her room. Then I told her to 'grow the hell up' and she screamed and busted every window in the cabin. She stayed in her room until after I left the next morning, and that's when everything started with Will..."

Some of the teens couldn't help but to snort at the ridiculousness of the whole thing, while all the kids sat wide eyes, trying to imagine the fight.

"Wow..." Lucas mouthed to Max.

El was now staring at the floor, and Mike was sitting too dumbfounded to even try to support her. Joyce sat there looking sympathetically at both of them.

"Sorry Hop..." came the tiny voice from the middle of the couch. 

"It's ok kid." Hopper replied honestly. "Oh and after everything you did tonight you are ungrounded by the way." He added.

El nodded back thankfully.

"And that leads me to what I don't know..."

"What do you mean?" Nancy asked.

"Well after that, El ran away. I haven't seen her in three days and she returned looking like a completely different person..." Hopper replied keeping his eyes fixed on El, who was trying to look anywhere but at him.

Mike and Will both gasped.

"So now it's your turn," Hopper said directly to El. "I want to know everything."

She huffed crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat. She really didn't want to do this...

"El, remember our promises in the car. Time for you to do yours."

Eleven shot a glare at Hop, but knew there was no way out of this one. So she began. Starting off irritably. "I was mad at you, but I wanted the TV fixed so I started cleaning the glass like you said. Then I moved the couch and found the secret door."

Hopper gulped nervously nodding at El.

"I opened it and found the Hawkins box." She said. Her eyes boring into his silently demanding answers.

"What's the Hawkins box?" Joyce asked.

"Remember last year when we were doing research on the lab trying to find Will? And we found all that paperwork on her instead?" Hopper replied. 

"Oh!" Joyce breathed suddenly understanding what he was trying to say.

Everyone else looked lost. But El looked angry.

"You found paperwork on El last year?" Mike asked, suddenly very confused.

"Yeah," was all Hopper could say, not taking his eyes off El who was starting to fume.

"I found a folder." She went on, still glaring at Hopper, not giving him anymore time to explain. "It had a paper saying a baby girl went missing. My age... And there was a picture of a woman with papa. So I went into the void. Found her and she said my name. She is my mama. WHY did you tell me my mama is gone?" El asked, her eyes spitting fire at Hopper but her face drooping sadly.

"Honestly kid. I was trying to save you the pain."

"Wait, hold on. You know Eleven's mom." Dustin asked.

"We met her, yes." Joyce answered.

She suddenly understood what Hopper and Joyce ment, and it was all she could do to keep a sob from ripping through her. No longer mad. Before anyone could reply, El kept going. 

"That's when I learned my name." El stated.

Hopper sat in shock, while everyone went silent. He had been shocked many times tonight, but none more than this.

"What's your name El?" Mike said, suddenly curious, rubbing her hand gently with his thumb. 

"Jane." She said gently back, looking in his eyes.

"Jane," Mike said testing it on his tounge. It felt weird. He was happy she had discovered this new part of herself, but it all felt strange. Like she was a whole new person. 

"Jane," Will also said looking at her. "I like it."

"God this is so weird!" Dustin blurted out.

Several people giggled at this.

"So then what did you do?" Steve inquired.

"I went to see mama."

"How did you get there?" Will gasped. 

"A nice man with a big truck," she shrugged saying it it so simply, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Hopper met Joyce's eyes. The 'I told you so,' expression written on his face clearer than day. Joyce smiled back amused.

"Did you know this man?" Mike asked concerned.

"No." El said again, completely unfazed.

"Holy shit! El, you hitch-hiked?" Dustin shouted in disbelief. 

"What is hitch hike?" El said slowly. 

Mike was about to ramble out a description, when he saw El's gaze, this time meeting Hopper's expectantly, and so he fought back the urge to speak. Curiously watching the two interact. 

"Hitch hiking. How about that's our word for the day, yeah kid?"

El nodded.

"Ok, hitch hiking is when a person stands on the side of the road, waiting to get a ride from a stranger to take them wherever they want to go."

El nodded her understanding, opening her mouth, about to continue with her story, before Hopper cut her off. Lucas and Dustin snickered.

"While we are on the topic though, in your case it was a nice man with a big truck, but the reason why your friends here are all surprised about this, and it is because hitch hiking isn't always safe." 

She gave Hopper a pointed eye roll, crossing her arms and leaning back definitely in her chair once more. 'Who did he think she was?'

Everyone sat around unsure how to feel about the whole interaction. No one witnessing the two, able to anticipate whether this was something to laugh at, or if it was going to turn ugly, having seen both sides from them so far. Mike found himself baffled at El's new defiance, although he had to admit it was a tiny bit cute... 

"Im serious El. You may have super powers and all, but it isn't always nice men. Which is why I'm telling you, please do not do that again." 

El shrugged.

"Ok sorry for interrupting. You can continue with your story now... So you arrive to your mama's. What did your Aunt Becky say?"

"She thought I was selling... thin mints? Told me to go away. So I opened her door with my powers and told her 'I want to see mama.'"

Hopper snorted, imagining their meeting. 

"Shocked her a bit I'm sure?" Joyce asked.

El nodded. 

"Why?" Mike asked.

"Her aunt thought her mom had miscarried." Joyce responded, gently.

"Didn't her mom know otherwise? Why didn't she say anything? Do something?" Mike asked astounded that any parent wouldn't fight.

"She tried." El said, realizing his confusion, and cutting him off. He was getting ahead of her.

"I went to meet mama. But something was wrong with her. She didn't even see me. Then I saw the lights blink and I knew I could see her in the void. She showed me her dream circle..." El let the tears run down her face. Everyone sat staring at her now confused.

"She gave birth to me. And papa took me away. My aunt brought her sunflowers. Mama tried to get me back, broke in the lab. Found me in the rainbow room. I was with another girl playing. They yanked her away and shocked her at 450. Now she is in a dream circle." 

Tears slipped down her cheeks faster now. "All she says is, 'sunflower, three to the right, four to the left, rainbow, 450, breathe.'" At this El finally let out a sob, and Hopper finally found himself at her side and she hugged him, crying it all out in his arms, her hand still holding Mike's, as she squeezed it tightly.

Mike felt himself feeling infuriated for her. Yes he was greatful for how things worked out, because El was the best thing that had ever happened to him, but still... The life he suddenly knew she could of had. How the lab had ripped it away from her. Destroyed her family. It was horrible. Looking around he saw mixtures of sadness, anger and sympathy reflected on everyone else's faces. 

It didn't take long for El to stop sobbing. The outburst making her eyes and the tip of her nose red. Hopper sat back just enough that everyone else could see her, but close enough that she could still reach him if she needed him.

"But I knew mama showed me for a reason." She nodded sniffing. "So Becky showed me all the files she had. Mama had been collecting files of other missing kids too before the bad men hurt her. I found the other girl from the rainbow room in her files. So I searched for her. I found her too. Chicago. But when I went to tell Becky, she was trying to reach you." El said looking at Hopper, "and I got mad. So I took her money and the picture and ran away."

"No way! There are more of you?" Dustin asked. "I mean I always wondered but... damn!" 

"Then what?" Mike asked, almost afraid of the answer. 

"I got on a bus and went to Chicago."

"You what?!" Hopper yelped. Out of all the things he had imagined she had done during her trip, that, had not been in the list.

Mike covered his eyes with the hand that wasn't holding onto El's, and then rubbed his face. Will, Dustin, Lucas exchanging looks of disbelief.  
   
"No way," Max whispered.

"I needed to find my sister." El replied looking suddenly defensive. 

"Hop, let her finish the story." Joyce warned, realizing pushing her right now could affect the story they received.

"Go on..." Hopper said, trying to keep the growl out of his voice.

"I got out and started searching. Found where she was supposed to be but at first she wasn't there. Other people were. I scared them I think. But then she came down. I showed her my powers to prove who I was.  We showed each other our tattos," El said pointing to her own. "Her's is 008. She called me sister and told me I was now home."

This struck a chord in Hoppers chest and he felt the anger vanish as he found himself trying to hold back tears.

"We talked all night. I told her everything. But I only told her my name is Jane." 

"This is awesome! Does she have powers too?" Will asked.

El nodded. "Yes. Her name is Kali and she can make you see, or not see whatever she wants."

"Woah!" All the kids exchanged excited looks. Mike couldn't help but feel amazed. It was like real like X-Men or something. 

"She showed me a butterfly." Reminiscing and looking up as if she was still watching it.

"Then she let me sleep. When I woke up I met her group."

"Her group?" Hopper asked.

"Friends." El nodded. "Axel has crazy hair," she demonstrated the mohawk, "orange, and he had black drawings on his face, he's a spider hater. Dotty has crazy hair too, she's more sweet. Mick our eyes and protector. Funshine our warrior; big guy but he's really a teddy bear."

Mike suddenly felt uneasy the nick names, setting off warning bells somewhere in his brain, and by one look at Hopper, he could tell they felt the same. 

Everyone else though just sat looking impressed at the idea of El's new friends.

"None of them had homes. So they were a family. Kali is their leader."

"What does Kali look like?" Mike asked, trying to picture her. 

"Long hair on one side, shaved on the other. Part of its purple, and dark like Lucas." Lucas would of been semi-offended if it hadn't of been El.

"They fight the bad men that hurt them. They thought I wasn't a fighter. But I told them I was. That I've killed."

'Oh no.' Mike felt himself holding his breath. 

"Kali taught me how to use my anger and pain to make my powers stronger. It felt good. Then they gave me new clothes and changed my hair. The had a picture of the man that hurt my mama. So I found him and we went out for supplies." Hopper groaned.

"Kali made the man at the gas station see things in the bathroom and he left to fix it while we loaded up. The man came out early so Kali and I stopped him and we took the money and ran. We drove away and danced. They gave me a mask. I was happy... Then we got to the man's house and all went in." El began to feel nervous now but she was already so far into her story she couldn't stop. A part of her needed to finish it. To come clean.

"Shit El, you were in a heist?" Mike asked in utter disbelief. Everyone in the room looking just as shocked as he was.

El ignored him and just kept talking, not knowing what that word meant anyways. "Axel and Dotty went looking for something and Mick stayed in the van. Funshine blocked the door, and Kali made the man see us as children. To... remember us, and what he did to us. I began to hurt him for everything he did to mama, when I saw a picture. He was a dad... And-d I-I couldn't do it. I couldn't-t kill him. Kali tried to shoot him but I took away her gun and then we had to go because of police."

El looked on the verge of tears again and turned to the dumbfounded Mike. "I got back to our hide out, and I saw you," she said to Mike, "and you," she turned to Hopper. "Kali tried to convince me to stay. She says papa is still out there. Then she got in my head, made me see him." El shuddered, but everyone else was too busy exchanging worried looks to notice.

She continued slowly. "Then the police found us. Kali used her powers made them not see us, and we got to the van. They found us again and started shooting at us. Kali tried to get me to come with them. But you needed me. Kali said mama 'wanted us together for a reason,' we are sisters. But I left anyways." A single tear dropped down her cheek. "I ran away, as they drove from the police. And I got on a bus and came home."

When she finished everyone just sat in silence. Mike silently wiped the tear corner of her eye, amazed by the girl in front of him, and just glad she was ok. Jim collapsed on the floor, and everyone else just sat dumbfounded.

El began to shake with silent tears and Mike pulled her into a hug. "I t-told-d you-u I m-made a mistake..." She told Hopper over Mike's shoulder.

Hop slowly sat back up, and scooting over to the girl. Mike let go knowing the pair needed a moment.  Hopper pulled her into a hug, and El sobbed harder than ever. "That's the understatement of the year." Hopper said to her holding her tightly. She let out a mingled cross between a laugh and a sob. Slowly, everyone crept over and for the second time that night, and gave another giant group hug. Knowing El needed it. 

When Hopper and everyone pulled back, he looked at her fiercely. "Never, and I mean NEVER. Do something like that, ever again." It was all he could manage to say. The whole confession being too much for him to process at the moment.

El gulped and nodded.  "However I'm proud of you for not killing that man." Hopper continued awkwardly. Suddenly realizing, that was something he'd never thought that he'd have to praise anyone for. Like in his entire life... Maybe it was time to work on some people skills and morals. 

During the last hour, the sky had begun turning a pale blue, brightening the room. The sun had not yet risen above horizon, but it was close. 

Despite all the excitement, the adrenaline of the night had long worn off. Max couldn't help but to yawn, starting a chain around the room of yawns and people rubbing their eyes sleepily.

"Alright well that's enough for one night." Hopper said observing the tired room, and Joyce found herself nodding in agreement. "We will come up with a story later. Right now, I want everyone to rest." 

Everyone was too tired to protest. They may of had several piles of crazy dumped in their laps today, but sleep was the only thing they could think of.

Joyce and Jonathan ran around the house gathering what extra blankets they could.

There wasn't enough for everyone. So Max, Lucas, Dustin, Will, Mike and El gathered up in the middle of the floor, huddled closer than ever, all sharing 3 blankets and 4 pillows. Mike and El secretly sneaking one of the blankets and pillows for themselves.

Steve took the couch, using his jacket as a blanket. Nancy and Jonathan sneaked off to his room as subtly as they could, both exhausted. They found themselves whispering across his bed to each other about the craziness of their younger siblings lives, until they fell asleep.

Hopper, while exhausted, needed a breath of fresh air more than anything else. He stepped outside, and Joyce followed, sitting beside him on the front step, and placing a hand on his back. 

"You doing alright Hop?"

Jim looked back at her, eyes not even trying to hide their exhaustion.

"Out of all the things she could have told me... I never would of guessed this..."

"You weren't lying about having your hands full." Joyce laughed. 

"I mean, sure... my daughter has telekenetic powers and is on the run from government... ok that's fine. It's not normal, but I can deal with that. How am I supposed to parent her though when I have to literally worry about her running away to go join a homeless gang in Chicago, that she considers family, that goes around killing the people that hurt them...?" He looked at Joyce, eyes pleading her for an answer. "Cause if she runs away again, I'm sure she won't hold back..."

Joyce sighed and grabbed his hand.

"Did I fail her?" Hopper asked, his voice low with worry.

"Of course not Hop. The circumstances are just... different. That's all. And with time you'll know what to do. And like I said before, you always have me."

"Yeah looks like I need your help more than I thought." He allowed himself to smile tiredly back at her.

Joyce leaned her head on his shoulder and watched the sun as it creeped into the cotton candy pink and blue sky, and she couldn't help but finally feel the peace. Like it was all over. At last.

Inside, almost all the kids fell asleep rather quickly. Steve laid facing the backside of the couch, almost too tired to fall asleep, listening to the last of the chatter die away.

It wasn't long before Mike and El were the only two still awake, besides Steve, but they didn't know that. Their bodies were pressed tightly against each other, partly by choice, partly because the rest of the group was sandwiched so tightly around them, they had very little room not to be. Mike secretly liked it this way, wishing he could fall asleep like this forever. Having El sandwiched against him. The warmth coming from her soothing to him. Her head was resting in that crook of his neck that she fit so perfectly in...

"Mike..."

"Yeah El?" He whispered back. 

"It wasn't too much of a surprise was it?" She asked concerned. Since she had finally confessed everything, the whole group had said very little to her. Including Mike. And it was starting to make her feel nervous.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say I was surprised. But that's just because it is hard to imagine. Just let everyone sleep on it. I'm sure they will be fine in the morning."

"Am I now a monster?" She asked thinking back to last year when Mike had told her she wasn't a monster for opening the gate 'You saved me,' ringing in her ears. She wondered if trying to kill a man on purpose now made her one.

"Of course not El." He slowly moved his arm to drape it across her, heart beating wildly in the process.

"But, I tried to kill that man. I... I wanted to..." 

"But you didn't do it El. As of right now. You have only killed to keep yourself safe. That doesn't make you a monster. You are good El. I know it. I've always known it... That's one of the reasons I love you." He whispered in her ear.

Steve couldn't help but admire Wheelers skills. He was so sweet. Who would have ever thought?...

"Thank you Mike..."

Mike looked down at her, and raised his hand briefly to play with her curls, smiling as she sighed in relief.

"If anything... It makes you cooler... which is crazy since you are literally the coolest person I've ever met."

"Bitchin'." She giggled.

"And here I was thinking you were all out of surprises." Mike said smiling at her. Mike saw her return the smile before he pulled her back in closer to him. This time resting his forehead to her's, smiles on their faces. Within minutes the two were asleep. And that's how Joyce and Hopper found them when they came back in the house, both smiling at the little group. Hopper couldn't deny that he liked seeing the smile on El's face, even if Wheeler was the cause of it...

"They're finally going to be ok." Joyce said more to herself than anyone else. 

"We all are." Hopper said looking down at the petite woman next to him. 

Both smiled, contently, knowing that at least for a few hours everything was alright with the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright well thanks for hanging in there with me on this one. Not a fluffy chapter but it was a nessisary one. It also had more angst than i planed on writing but hopefully it just came off as true to the characters. Like I said, the other chapters will be more similar to the previous ones. Style wise. 
> 
> Question is, what will normal become?
> 
> Love you all!


	11. Morning of a New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new day, a new begginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so first of all over 2000 hits! Wow thank you guys! It's crazy! I don't know what to say other than I'm speechless! Secondly, I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out! It was one hell of a week... so thank you for your patience!
> 
> Now about the story. I've said before I have a plan for where I want this story to eventually go, and it's finally time to start implementing that! 
> 
> The beginning of this chapter may throw you off at first. If you feel lost or think this chapter has a really weird start... just know it's just a VERY SHORT part of the chapter and it is on purpose; so bare with me and don't hate me for it. I promise I will explain more about my reasons for that at the end of the chapter.
> 
> Also, several of you have already commented about how Max and El, "better be friends". All I want to say is I have a plan for them to unfold eventually. But you'll just have to keep reading the future chapters to find out what happens between them!
> 
> Finally, you may notice that the ratings have changed. That is because the story will now have at least mentions of sex in it, and that starts in this chapter but it's very tame still. I also have split this chapter up into two parts because I have some questions for you all (smut wise) at the end notes that will effect what I post next. The second half of this chapter is already done, but I wrote it in 2 different ways, so once I decide which way to go I'll post that too.
> 
> Anyways, enough said for now. I'll let you read!

It was oddly quiet as El went walking down the street, holding hands with Mike. 

It was evening, the sky a deep purple and orange, forest on one side of them, street and homes on the other, street lamps lighting up their way as they walked.

She was staring at her hand entangled in Mike’s and she looked up to see him smiling at her merrily. She was happy.

A gust of wind blew past them, and she snuggled in closer to Mike as they walked.

He was staring at her, his eyes misting over.

“What is it?” El found herself asking. Something didn't feel right.

Mike shook his head slowly, happiness turning to an evil grin.

El looked at him again, confused. He leaned down towards her and she stopped in her tracks, the hairs on the back of her neck raising a bit. His mouth approaching her ear, as she stood waiting to hear what he had to say.

He got close enough to whisper.

“How could I ever love you." He quietly spat out at her.

"W-what?" She replied taken aback.

When Mike spoke again, it was not with his own voice, but with the voice of an old man's, "I said, how could I ever love somebody like you, Eleven. Someone as wounded as you. You are nothing, and you are a fool if you think you are anything otherwise.”

Her gut tightened, and her breath caught in her throat.

“N-no…” she stammered, sucking in air and stopping in her tracks.

Then Mike let out a low cackle, and vanished. The sound of his laugh the only part of him remaining.

And she was running.

Feet hitting the pavement hard.

Behind her, she could hear a 'pop' in the distance, and she looked over her shoulder seeing sparks flying. Then there was another pop, as the third light behind her exploded. 

She ran faster, trying to escape the darkness, hyperventilating either from running or terror. She wasn’t sure which. 

'Pop. Pop.'

More lights exploded now catching up to her.

“No!” she screamed again, willing herself to move faster.

'Pop!' The light in front of her exploded, and she shrieked, covering her head to avoid the sparks that were flying over her over her head.

Then everything went dark.

El sat bolt up right, blankets thrown off of her, and panting heavily, apparently still hyperventilating from the dream. The sound of her own scream waking her.

"El! El! Are you ok?" Mike jumped up, the commotion waking him on high alert instantly, and he began gently rubbing her arm.

"Mmmm, what the hell?" Dustin grumbled,  sitting up slowly and rubbing his eyes.

“Is everyone ok?” Steve called from the couch.

“We are good.” Mike replied looking over at Steve.

Steve grunted in reply and rolled back over on the couch.

El had broke out in a cold sweat, and still felt a bit shaky.

“El what’s wrong?” Mike asked her again, but this time more softly.

“Bad dream…” El whispered in his ear, now grabbing Mike and pulling him into a hug.

Mike sat stiffly at first, still not used to the fact that someone would even want to hug HIM, of all people, in the first place. And also still very aware of all of his friends slowly waking up around him. But after two seconds of awkward limpness, he relaxed into the hug. Her softness, too much to resist... even if he was in front of his friends.

Even so, he heard a tiny snicker from Dustin, and Mike slowly extended his middle finger towards him from behind El's back. 'So immature,' he though bitterly.

"What's going on?" Lucas asked sleepily, Max and Will coming to, with him.

"El had a bad dream and it woke her up." Mike answered. Letting go of El before anyone else was awake enough to realize they had been hugging. 

"That sucks!" Max replied with a long yawn.

"Do you remember what it was about?" Will asked curiously.

"No," El replied honestly. The whole dreamed just seemed so fuzzy and far away now. "I just remember being scared. I don't even know why it was scary."

"That's the dumb thing about dreams..." Lucas yawned, now standing up to stretch.

"It... felt so real." El said now rubbing her eyes.

"That's alright. Your awake now. Nothing bad can happen to you." Mike said. While El was no longer as terrified as she had been a few minutes ago, she still looked a little shook up. The feeling of whatever she had witnessed not yet gone.

'Bang!' The front door swung carelessly open, and bouncing loudly off the wall.

Steve, still halfway asleep, leapt off the couch. Braised as if he was ready for an attack, except for the fact that he was still struggling to open his eyes fully.

Joyce walked in with her arms overflowing with brown paper sacks. Barely being able to peak over the top of the pile, she was immediately going over to fight the doorknob for the key while trying her best to not loose hold of the bags, as all the kids errupted into fits of giggles over Steve.

"Oh my God... Mrs. Byers! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Steve exclaimed before promptly tripping over the small blanket someone had laid across him during the night, and falling to his hands and knees.

Dustin, Lucas, and Max were now howling with laughter. Mike couldn't help but snorting, and Will and El both were both giggling harder than ever.

"Good morning to you too Steve," Joyce smiled, turning her head away from the door to glance back at him, her lips curling in amusement, "And good morning to everyone else too! Who wants breakfast?" She asked before she quickly heading into the kitchen, struggling with her bags the entire way.

Everyone got up excitedly, following her into the sunlight kitchen.

"What time is it?" Max asked. As much as the night had been interesting, she was starting to get worried about going home.

"8:13." Mike replied looking at his watch.

El huffed to herself. But there was so much commotion, nobody noticed.

"Wow! We only slept 3 hours guys! That's a new record!" Dustin said, forcing Mike, Will, and Lucas to give him high fives.

"When did you get up mom?" Will asked curiously, leaning against the edge of the counter.

"Oh um... I couldn't sleep. So I started cleaning up instead." 

Will studied his mom carefully, as she continued to talk and empty groceries on to the counter.

"Figured we'd need a functional kitchen more than the maps now. So I began taking them down. But I've been stacking them in order just in case though," she explained, pointing absentmindedly over her shoulder, as she pulled out a carton of eggs. Everyone's eyes followed her point to the corner of the room, where, sure enough, there was a large stack of papers. They each began scanning the now, mostly clean, room. Debris from the cabinet Billy pushed Lucas up against, was now piled up and pushed towards the wall on the counter top, and the dents in the floor from Max's attack on Billy were still visible, the latter probably a permanent fixture in the home; serving as the only reminders of the activities of the night before. 

"It looks great mom." Will complimented honestly. He knew his mom was grieving and if cleaning was what she had to do, then so be it. He wouldn't worry too much yet.

"Thank you sweetie!" She said leaving that last bag for the moment to come around and give Will a hug and a kiss on the top of the head. "How do you feel today?" She asked using the back of her hand to take his temperature. 

"I feel fine mom." Will whined.

"Ok good, I want you to take it easy today. Ok? Get lots of rest. And later I want you to take a hot bath just, to see if heat still affects you. Oh and drink lots of water! I know you haven't been sick but I want us to treat it like you were, because, well we really have no idea what effect this could have on you. Alright?"

"Fine..." Will sighed. He wasn't irritable, but he definetly wasn't pleased either.

Now Joyce turned her gaze to El. "El sweetie, how are you feeling?" 

"Ok. Just hungry." She placed her hands on her stomach. Truth be told, her tummy had been growling all night. She had skipped most of her meals the last couple of days, what with her fight with Hopper, running away, her time with Kali in Chicago... Actually, yesterday she didn't even eat anything, having left the stolen eggos in Kali's van. The last time she could even remember eating was when she was with Becky, and that had been about lunch time. It felt so long ago now... 

Just then her stomach made an extra loud gurgle, and she looked up at Joyce sheepishly.

Dustin's eyes grew large at the sound and Mike looked at her concerned.

"My. I'd say so! When was the last time you ate?" Joyce asked, sizing her up.

"Two days ago. Lunch. Becky gave me a sandwich."

"And before that?" 

"Breakfast, day before. Eggo extravaganza with Hop." She replied after thinking about it for a moment.

"And that's all you've eaten in three days?" Joyce looked at her with a mix of concern and sadness.

El nodded.

"Poor thing. You get food first."

"Thank you." El nodded eagerly.

Mike looked at her real worried now. "How about you sit down while you wait?" He suggested. Before she could even reply, he was guiding her over to the table and sitting her down.

Behind them, they could hear the scraping and clinking of metal as Joyce began pulling out pots and pans out of a cupboard next to the stove to get breakfast going. Max, Will, Lucas, and Dustin simotanously walking down to take turns in the bathroom, happily chatting the entire time.

"So, eggo extravaganza?" Mike asked Eleven with a smirk. 

They were alone at the table, sitting in chairs next to each other, yet with turned chairs so as to face each other.

El's eyes grew bright with excitement as she nodded. 

The memory of pretty much any food in general being a pleasant memory right now. Well excluding peas... but... this was eggos they were talking about.

Warm buttery eggos. 

"So you still love eggos then?" He teased.

"Yes!" She replied happily, sitting on her knees in the chair and propping her head up in her hands.

Joyce was now cracking eggs in the largest skillet, bacon sizzling away in the other. A loaf of bread sitting next to the toaster still untouched. All the while, listening to Mike and El, curiously... for the sake of Hopper of course...

'Gosh she's adorable!' Mike found himself thinking as he stared at her. "So this eggo extravaganza, the Cheif makes you... What is it?" He asked conversationally. 

"3 eggos, whipped cream, and candy. We share it." She said bobbing cheerfully in her seat.

"That can't be healthy..." Mike said as his eyebrow raised in surprised.

"Only 8,000 calories..." Eleven shrugged. She had no idea what that meant, but assumed it was the right thing to say.

Mike laughed, sure that was something that Hopper must of told her.

"What's only 8,000 calories?" Dustin said, plopping down next to Mike, Will and Lucas on his tail and taking the other two available seats. Max was now taking her turn in the bathroom.

"Eggo extravaganza." El said.

"What is that?" Dustin asked.

So Eleven found herself re-explaining. 

When she finished Dustin was practically drooling, and Lucas was making a face of disgust, Will sitting somewhat indifferently on the matter.

"So can Hopper cook then?" Steve asked genuinely curious as he came in the room, dragging some extra chairs along with him. 

"We mic-ro-wave." She said sounding the words out. "TV dinners. Hop says we should try to start eating healthier... Breakfast is always good."

Joyce laughed to herself as she popped the bread into the toaster. 'Of course breakfast his must always be good...' She couldnt help but to think sarcatically. His old habit of late night love affairs probably being the sole reason he CAN cook breakfast in the first place.

"Where is Hopper?" Will called over to his mom.

"Oh... I told him to take my room. He tried to make me take it, but I insisted, since I wasn't tired. I figured we'd wake him up right before breakfast." Joyce answered with her back to everyone as she flipped the bacon. "Speaking of which, I should make some coffee," Joyce said busying herself again.

Max came out of the bathroom and took the extra seat between Steve and Will. "What did I miss?" She asked in a chipper voice.

"Oh not much." Lucas answered. "Just talking about Hopper's ability to cook."

"And?" 

"Apparently he's just okay, except he's great at breakfast." Lucas said in chill manner.

"I'm sorry, but honestly, I can't imagine Hopper cooking anything. I've been sitting here trying this entire time but I just can't do it..." Dustin said with an air of defeat. 

"Me neither." Will giggled.

"Seriously!... The only thing I see right now is Hopper in his uniform and a pink apron, covered in flour and yelling at the oven." Dustin continued.

El burst out in giggles, and Mike turned smiling  at El. 

Suddenly, there was the sound of a few small things dropping, and a loud "Dammit!" From Joyce's spot in the room. 

"You alright Mrs. Byers?"

"Fine!" She huffed back.

"Let me help you with that, really." Steve offered, already getting up from his seat and moving to help her.

"I'm fine. Really." Joyce insisted, arms somewhere between surrendering and defensiveness, as Steve began helping her clean up the mess of coffee grounds and plastic cups she had dropped.

"Really, it's no trouble." He insisted.

"Oh alright." She sighed, "Thank you dear. Pass me that measuring cup, will ya?"

He smiled happy to oblige.

Will, Lucas, Mike, and Dustin got up, and began moving about Max and El. Having been friends with each other long enough to know where all the plates and silverware were kept (not just at Will's house, but at all of their homes). And they began setting the table, as the two girls glanced awkwardly between each other, and quickly turning to watching the guys. 

Everyone was beginning to sit back down when Joyce called for Will. "Do me a favor and go wake your brother up." She asked trying to move the food onto her larger serving plates.

Will nodded, and took off for Jonathan's room.

"Oh and Eleven? Would you mind fetching Hop?" El shook her head and stood up following Will out into the hall, slightly disappointed. The food smelled so good... 

Will was about to walk straight into Jonathan's room, when he remembered what Mike had told him last night, 'Oh and I really don't know what happened, but I think Nancy dumped Steve and is now dating your brother.' So for one of the first times in his life, he waited, knocking on Jonathan's door instead. 

"Jonathan?" He called.

"Just a second!" Came a muffled voice followed by a scrambling of noises.

Jonathan made his way to the doorway. And poked his head through, just enough to see Will. And just enough that Will could tell his brother didn't have a shirt on. "Yeah?" Jonathan asked. His cheeks were flushed, hair a wreck, and a smile was plastered on his face. He looked wide awake.

Will raised an eyebrow at his brother, torn between amusement and disgust. 

"Mom says breakfast is ready." Will said controlling his voice flatly.

"Oh... um. Right! Be out in a second!" Jonathan said before abruptly slamming the door in his face.

Will turned around half surprised at the abruptness. "So smooth..." he said lightly kicking the door before he began heading back down the hall towards his mom's room. He stoor by the door listening to Hopper and El's muffled voices as he waited for them.

When El had knocked on the door, it had been to find a conked out Hopper behind it. He was laying strewn sideways across the bed, hardly even under the covers, snoring lightly.

"Hey Hop?" She whispered softly, tip-toeing into the room.

Nothing.

"Hey Hop!" She said a little more loudly.

"Huh? Uh. What?" He said sitting up quickly.

"Joyce made breakfast." El informed him standing as patiently as she could, waiting for him.

"Ok kid, thanks." Hopper began to sit up before, "Shit! What time is it?"

El shrugged. "I woke up at 8. 1. 5."

"8:15... ok. How long ago was that?"

"Don't know."

"I was supposed to go see Dr. Owens last night, be sure he got into a hospital, but I forgot. Cause of everything I learned about you."

El looked at the ground.

"You're not in trouble kid. I get it. All of it. I had my faults too. And we promised to make a change together. But that doesn't mean we woln't be talking some more about this. And some rules might change or get more strict for a brief amount of time just till I know exactly what's going on, or if I need to be worried about any repercussions from your trip. Got it?"

"Re-re-cussions?"

"Consequences of your actions." Hopper clarified.

She nodded.

"Ok good. Now let's go get you some food. You look like you lost weight."

El pretty much ran from the room. Not even seeing Will next to the door frame, only listening to the growl of her stomach. Hopper didn't even try to keep up, way too tired for that. Watching her curls bounce, with a smile, as she ran. He pulled the door shut to find Will.

"Hey kid." Hopper said.

"Hey Cheif," Will replied before the two walked the rest of the way back down the hall in content silence.

They had almost reached the end of the hallway when Jonathan and Nancy came running hurriedly out of his room. Nancy straightening her shirt and Jonthan trying to tame his hair from its current state of disaster to its usual level of messiness.

Will tried not to gag and he crossed his arms, while hurrying of the hallway and into the kitchen. He let his eyes stare hard at Mike until the boy caught his gaze, and Will quickly looked around to be sure nobody was paying attention to them before mouthing, "I think you're right about Nancy and Jonathan..."

"Ew!" Mike mouthed back in disgust. Then a look of horror rose to his face. "Oh my God did you see anything?"

"Not really... I'll tell you later." Will mouthed back. Mike gave one uncertain nod before turning back to the group. Both boys trying to act like nothing just happened. Will failing just a tiny bit.

Hopper, on the other hand, couldn't help but smirk at the pair. 

Nancy felt about ready to crawl out of her skin.

"I'm only saying this because... well because of with everything your mom's coping with..." Hopper said quietly arms crossed and leaning against the wall as the pair approached him. "Don't add yourself to that list of things today. I don't care what you two do in your free time. It's not my business. But she's got enough on her plate. Do her a favor today and come out separately. And don't ever mention a word about my knowledge of this to her." He warned pointing to each of them.

Nancy and Jonathan nodded quickly. Nancy looking increasingly more awkward. Jonathan nodded gratefully. Both planted in their spots.

"Ok good." Hopper said almost turning to leave again before looking once more at the frozen couple before prompting, "Now for God sakes, at least one of you should come." 

Nancy rushed out of the hallway as Jonathan turned  for the bathroom; leaving Hopper alone in the hallway to roll his eyes and shake his head. Not even 10, A.M. and he felt ready for a beer.

"....Teenagers." 

And with that he left, following her out into the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so odd chapter... (I'm not even going to deny it) but next one I guarantee will be fluff filled and feelsy to make up for it!
> 
> So in the notes at the beginning, I promised you 2 things from earlier.  
> 1\. To explain the whole dream thing.  
> 2\. Discussion about smut.
> 
> 1.) Ok so the dream. Yeah that was pretty wierd right?
> 
> The dream is fully formed, but you guys only got a portion of it in this chapter. And it doesn't make complete sense because dreams are wierd like that. I am aware that many of you probably didn't like that part so I wanted to explain to you what I wanted the nightmare to mean.
> 
> So currently the dream is serving for several different purposes.  
> a.) To show El's insecurities over Mike. She isn't a very vocal person, or at least not yet. And she may not even be completely aware of those feelings just yet, because lets face it, right now she is just giddy the she gets to see him again. However her subconscious is already aware of those feelings.  
> b.) So you weren't told this in the chapter, and nor will you be told this out right, but the old man's voice is supposed to be Brenner's. This is for a few reasons. In watching El reaction to when Kali made her see Brenner in season 2, it made me believe that; to El, Brenner is the scariest monster. So Mike's voice morphing into Brenners is terrifying to her, which is only fitting since she is having a nightmare. Mike is the person she loves the most, and she hardly knows him so him morphing with Brenner only enhances her insecurities. It is also to remind you that she is still terrified of Brenner.  
> c.) Her running from the exploding lights symbolizes two things. The running is a parallel that she is still on the run with the government, and the lights symbolizes her powers and the lights are exploding because her body is exhausted from using her powers.  
> d.) To remind you not everything is perfect. Even though the gate is closed.
> 
> This nightmare is a building block for me. Like I said before, the full nightmare is written. I have just only given you guys part of it. The rest of it will either directly or indirectly relate to the plot (regardless it will relate to it.) But that is for later in the future, after some much needed fluff. ;)
> 
> I hope my reasoning for including it makes more sense now.
> 
> 2.) I have been wondering for a while about adding some smut... and I wanted to get your guy's opinions.
> 
> I know everyone watching the show knows Nancy has had sex with both of guys now. And I was thinking for a little bit from Nancy's point of view and I realized if it were me, I would be confused on how to feel because of how everything happened so fast. And I would be mentally comparing EVERYTHING (sexually and not) about both of them. So you can see why writing smut or smut flashbacks for them is tempting. Also, if I am already planning on writing smut for them, them maybe later on I can write smut for other people. (However another option is to keep this one smutless and make a sequel with smut??)
> 
> Now for those of you against smut, I just wanted to let you know; if I were to write smut, it would not become a regular thing in my story. Not all chapters would have it. Just a few would. And, I would give you warnings in advance, that way if you don't want to read that chapter you don't have to...
> 
> Idk. I just have been thinking of my story, and how that could have the potential to enhance character relationships and it could allow me to develop other characters way down the line in the future?? At the same time it's not nessisary either, so if you don't want it, I want to know that too! It's just something I've been thinking alot about lately. And I want your input. Especially since the next chapter is written in two different ways, and I'm trying to figure out which one to post.
> 
> So I leave it in your hands! Let me know if you want to see anything happen in the future, and smut, yay or nay? Or nay and a smutty sequal?
> 
> As usual, thanks for reading. Love you guys!


	12. Breakfast and Breakdowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast and lots of Jancy/Stancy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so thank you everyone for helping me reflect and realize that I should post what I want to post. You guys made me reevaluate, which lead me to completely rewriting, and this chapter is the result! But I finally like it, and hope you enjoy it too! 
> 
> I promised to give warnings, so this chapter definitely is a more mature chapter. It is more smutty than the previous ones, all to show internal conflict, except I skip over the really naughty bits of it. Regaurdless, if you don't like that stuff, don't read it.

Nancy came in the kitchen trying not to look flustered and quickly took a seat. Doing her absolute best to look as casual as possible, while taking a few minutes to scan everyone's faces. 

The kids were all immersed in some random argument about the events of last night. Except Will, who was sitting with his arms still crossed, sparing a glance curiously at Nancy before turning beet red and hastily joining back in the conversation. 

Nancy couldn't help but feel bad for the poor kid. 'This must be as awkward for him as it was for us.' She found herself thinking.

It's just... that morning, waking up with Jonathan again had been so nice. Neither of them had slept well and they woke up around six. Figuring no one else was awake, they layed together snuggling and enjoying heat from their bodies pressed so closely together, as they talked. It was so nice laying with Jonathan. So comfortable. She couldn't help but feel at ease with him. 

The thing is, that she had always felt at ease with him. 

Sure, "the shared trauma," and this whole thing with Barb had been what brought them together initially, but there had always been something so comfortable about being around him. 

The fact that he never expected her to be anyone other than herself around him, made it easy to talk with him. They could tell each other anything. It's the reason their friendship had been so great this whole past year. And now, things were just even more relaxed. She wasn't hiding herself away from him anymore, and she was allowing herself to at least think about him in the ways she hadn't been able to allow herself to consider while she was with Steve. 

Even though she was completely confused about all of it... guilty for hurting Steve. Unsure of what she wanted with Jonathan. Friendship, a relashionship, something more, or Steve? It was all so new. What would people at school be saying? What were they gossiping about? She was sure some rumors must be spreading in her absence like wild fires. 

But a part of her didn't care because being with Jonathan was just... easy. Social pressures never bothering him. Something she admired. And it made her feel as though any rumors would be laughable. If she was with him, none of that would matter... 

Then there was this morning. It was like the cherry on top of a perfect life. As they talked the morning away. 

Until they started talking about how between the demogorgon last year and everything this year, they were really just lucky to be alive...

And then there was this moment. Everything was so serious, so silent. The dangers of last night so real, and amplified. Nancy looked up at Jonathan who was resting his head on his arm, staring at her so intensely it sent chills down her spine. His calm-natured and relaxed manner mixing with the intensity and aging him beyond his years. Only making him more attractive. 

He slowly reached his arm out to brush her own, continuing to trace his hand all the way up her arm, along the side of her neck and stopping finally to cup her cheek in his palm. 

And she knew she shouldn't, not again anyways. Not until she is able to get her life straightened out. Figure out her feelings... 

But those eyes. The tingling, from where he touched her, that was racing across her skin like bolts of lightning, electrifying her senses... 

She couldn't help it.

She took one last look in his eyes before she was kissing him. 

And he was kissing her back.  

Both eager. 

He moved his hand from her cheek to the base of her neck and tilted her head back to kiss her better, causing her to moan.

The seriousness of the moment creating a strange passion that quickly turned into a need. And before they knew it, one thing lead to another, and they found themselves rolling in a whirl of blankets. 

His lips moving against hers, still sloppy and untrained. Which she wouldn't say out loud, but found completely adorable. For he was soley hers. She let her mouth guide his. Heat mounting in her stomach.

Jonathan slipped his hand that wasn't holding head back downwards, allowing his fingers to take their time against the soft fabric, stopping along the hem of her nightgown; which had naturally risen up from her ankles to bunch around mid thighs during the night. 

She kissed him more fervently.

The bond between them stronger than she had ever experienced. With Steve moments like this had felt sneaky, childish. Like two teens sneaking around to try the forbidden fruit. Don't get it wrong, it was still fun, extremely hot, and enjoyable. But she realized, here in this moment, with Jonathan, she no longer felt like a kid sneaking around. The passion and serinety overwhelming. She felt like a woman. A strong woman. He made her feel poised, and beautiful, and purposeful. Forget age. Together, they were two adults.  

Then, Jonathan gently raised his hand from her neck to her hair and yanked her head back making her neck bend back in a graceful arc, pulling her skin tighter. He pulled away from her mouth, and she let him, enjoying this new side of him. Craving more. She watched his eyes trail from the sharp line of her jaw to her collarbone, before he smiled at her mischeviously. Teasing her with his eyes. And he leaned back down starting by her ear, kissing her, mouth open carefully sucking her skin. Not too hard so as to leave a mark, but hard enough to send a whole nother wave of lightning coursing across her skin. All doubts and confusion pushed out of her head, she could deal with that later. For now, she just needed him to keep going.

He was so perfect in such a peculiar way... his other hand still brushing against the hem of her nightgown, so just the tips of his index and middle finger tips were brushing against her thigh. His lips working against her neck. And suddenly she was too warm. 

She tugged her nightgown up without another thought and he took the opportunity, ravishing her as they rolled around in his sheets. Clothes disgaurded next to his bed and quickly forgotten...

Nancy shook her head, snapping herself out of the memory, the renued pulsation of her core slowly ebbing away. 

'Get it together. You can't think about this now. Your surrounded by children... and Steve! What the hell were you thinking anyways, letting it happen again? You don't even have a clue what you even want. Now is not the time.' She mentally scolded herself, going back to scanning the room. 

Steve was still helping Joyce with breakfast and hadn't even noticed her yet. Nancy couldn't help but sigh in relief, even if the guilt was only intensifying as she looked at him. 

If being with Jonathan felt so right, then why did looking at Steve have to feel SO wrong?

Then Hopper was joining them in the room, loud enough that Steve and Joyce turned around, Joyce smiling at Hopper and Steve continuing to glance around the room until his eyes landed on her. Suddenly Nancy, was glad Jonathan wasn't with her. She couldn't help but to appreciate the chief's advise, even if she couldn't bring herself to look at Hopper for the time being.

"Morning Joyce." Jim said, as a reply to her careless glance at him when he entered. His voice was gruff and sleepy but still pleasant while he rested across from her, leaning his back against the counter.  
   
"Morning Hop." She said allowing herself to smile too, even though she too busy piling the last of the slightly overcooked bacon on the platter to look back at him.

Jim watched her for a moment, before he let his eyes wander over to El. Watching her curiously. His rest had been enough time for him to process everything she had told him. Still not enough time for the shock of it all to have worn off, but still. As he watched the girl, he couldn't help but feel at a loss. After everything she'd been through in the last 72 hours and here she was sitting on her knees, occasionally bobbing up and down, watching the boys talk with round eyes, all with that crooked smile that was so tiny and yet so undeniable. It was almost as if nothing happened. Like she was a normal kid, on a normal day, with a normal life. 

"I'm surprised by how quickly she's become part of the group too. But she seems happy." 

Jim let himself turn away from the girl to face Joyce again who was no longer piling food onto dishes, but turned towards the kids yet with her eyes trained on Jim. 

"Yeah she does." Was all Jim could whisper back. He let himself lean further back into a more relaxed stance, arms reaching out behind him so he could use his elbows to brace himself into the lean. That's when he felt something crinkle.

He turned around, startled by the movement, to see a brown paper sac, bent around his elbow, and several more strewn across the countertop.

"Did you go shopping?" He asked her surprised.

At this, Joyce's expression twisted. She placed the platter of eggs and bacon on the table in front of all the eager kids, and turned back to the counter to grab the plate, piled high with about a half of loaves worth of toast, before she anwsered. "Yeah I had to."

"I mean you didn't have to, I could of gone out for you." Jim abruptly offered, looking at her mildly confused. 

By the time Joyce sat the toast on the table, El already had her plate full of eggs and bacon, one peice of bacon already practically crammed in her mouth whole, with just the very end of it hanging out of her mouth. Everyone only half listening to the adults as they chuckled at El, while filling their own plates. 

"Oh no it was fine." She replied quickly. 

"Joyce..." Hopper said lowering his head and drawing this eyebrows together to look at her doubtfully. After spending this past year helping her and Will readjust and taking them to Hawkins Lab for appointments, he knew her well enough to know she was hardly able to support her own boys and herself, let alone feed all of the rest of them.

"It's fine. Really Hop." She said instantly understanding what he was implying, while turning to grab the milk and set it on the table. "Look, after all these kids have been through, after all they've helped me with, they all deserved a good meal. I mean look at them Hop. They were starving!"

Hop looked over at the kids, all of whom had completely dropped all table manners, and were shoving the food down. And none faster than El. "Jesus kid. Breathe... And chew!" He said to her before looking back at Joyce.

The evidence that she was right, was too obvious to be denied, and he turned back to her. "Well thank you. I mean we would of been just fine with left overs or cereal, but either way. Thank you." He was about to offer to pay her back, but something about her posture suggested she already knew that and was ready to deny it. 

Looks like he will have to leave some money for her to find on his way out then...

"Yeah... about the leftovers," Joyce said slowly, simultaneously pouring herself, Hopper, and the all teens mugs of hot coffee.

"Huh?" Jim asked as she pressed one of the mugs into his hands.

"Well I was thinking about doing that, but FOOD is NOT what I found the fridge this morning." She said turning to eye all the kids.  
   
Dustin's fork slipped from his hands, bounced off the table and landed on the floor with a clatter. The rest of the table falling completely silent, all eyes on Dustin, who was sitting there dumbfounded. 

"Oh my God Mrs. Byers! I'm so sorry it's my..."

"It's OUR fault Mrs. Byers." Steve corrected, quickly cutting Dustin off.

Jim watched confused. "What did you do?"

"Um..." Dustin's voice was raised a whole octive higher than normal and he was sputtering nervously as he spoke. His hand that had dropped the fork seconds ago, forgotten and frozen, still raised to his mouth like he was going to take a bite. "Well, you see... The demo dog is a scientific discovery... and I knew the ones at the lab were sitting over night decaying, and here we had a fresh one, so I made Steve help me put it in Mrs. Byers fridge to keep it fresh, just in case anyone needed one for science and research and stuff..." He trailed off.

"We are so sorry Mrs. Byers, and we will help you clean it all up later. We promise. We just didn't know what to do with it." Steve added quickly.

"Yes! So sorry!" Dustin immediately interjected.

Joyce just sighed. Earlier she had half a mind to be mad at the kids for it. She had seen the note on the door and thought it was a joke. Consequently she forgot about the whole thing until when she was finally starting to feel ready for sleep, having finished cleaning the kitchen. She had just wanted to get a quick drink and then to go to bed. And she found herself tiredly opening up the fridge, completely overlooking the note...

Then, when she looked up to find the nearest drink, only to discover a black, slimey flap covered in teeth only inches from her face. She had jumped back in terror, too scared to scream (luckily to everyone else's benefit). 

But their reason made so much sense she couldn't deny it. She actually found herself admitting that it was a pretty smart idea after all.

"It's fine." Joyce replied hastily.

"Wait... You're not mad?" Dustin said in utter surprise. 

"No. It was actually smart thinking. I mean I saw your note, and it still scared the crap out of me. But I think you did the right thing."

"Really?" Steve gaped at her.

Jim looked on the verge of protest, and the kids had all long since stopped eating to observe the conversation. From the looks on their faces Jim could tell that this is not what any of them had expected.

"Yes really." Joyce reassured him. "I would appreciate the help cleaning it all up later though." She added.

"Of course." Steve nodded, Dustin nodding with him.

"Right after breakfast!" Dustin agreed.

"We can help too." Lucas offered awkwardly, the others now nodding along their agreement.

"Thanks guys, but not today. I don't even know what to do with it yet... We will let you guys know when we move it." She said looking at Jim for a second approval. His eyes quickly telling her she had it, and she let herself feel more confident about the whole situation.

Everyone was sitting there looking at each other awkwardly, except El, who was looking down sadly at her abandoned breakfast, still not used to human interactions enough to know why everyone stopped eating it in the first place, and wondering if she was aloud to finish it.

Joyce quickly looked back at the kids. "Alright, now everyone dig back in. Your food's getting cold!" 

El sighed in relief so loudly that Mike couldn't help but snicker at her, and Dustin caused another round of laughter when he went to take a bite from the hand that had long since dropped the fork, eyes still on Joyce, and only looking down when he realized he was biting down on air. His whole face contorted as he realized the fork was gone, before frantically looking around in search of it. Even Jim and Joyce couldn't abstain from chuckling. 

The rest of breakfast went along pretty quietly. Everyone was too hungry for chit chat. Even Hopper snuck over to steal a few peices of bacon. 

In no time, everyone was stuffed, plates empty. Everyone eating more than their fair share of food. Most of the kids as well as Steve were leaning back relaxing comfortable in their seats, Nancy resting her head on her arms next to her plate and Jonathan stretching. The silence was not an uncomfortable one. Everyone relaxed and feeling a renued sleepy air overtaking them all as a result of full bellies.

It was then that Dustin spoke again. 

"So I was thinking about last night," Dustin began casually. 

All eyes snapped to him, the beginning of his conversation catching everyone's attention immediately.

Dustin was now turning his attention to El. "And I was wondering what you wanted us to call you?"

Jim opened his mouth in surprise, and Mike turned to face El so fast it could of given him whiplash. 

'Why didn't I think of this? I should of been the one to ask her that! I'm the one who cares about her the most here! Well and the Cheif, but screw him! Oh god! What if she wanted me to start calling her Jane last night and I didn't!' These thoughts went swirling through Mike's head faster than the speed of light, all of them having floated through his brain by the time he was facing her. He stared at her face searching for any trace of emotion. Holding his breath anxiously for no reason at all.

Dustin's question threw El completely off guard. She had not expected this! She had just been considering grabbing the last peice of toast... Her hand literally partly outstretched for it.

She retracted her hand slowly and turned scanning the room, noticing all eyes on her. She turned facing Mike last, truely hoping he would have all the answers for her. It was too early for this. But he was staring at her in such a way that she instantly knew he had more questions for her in answers. 

Instead of turning away from Mike, she just kept staring. Trying to find words. Truth be told, she had never thought of this before and she really didn't know what she wanted....

Mike and everyone else watched her as she looked at Mike, wide eyed. Her mouth slightly aghast, brows knitting together in the tinest way and eyes squinting. 

"Kid?" Hopper asked, suddenly worried if she was ok. Was the question too much?

She shifted her gaze to Hop. Letting her jaw open a little lower. Her confusion painted clearly on her face.

"I'm sorry." Dustin said quickly. He didn't mean to put her in the spotlight like that.

El nodded to him. Before grabbing the last peice of toast anyways and taking a bite of it, and gulping it down.

"You don't have to decide that now if you don't want." Mike told her gently. He laid his fingers on her knee under the table, out of view of everyone else.

El jumped at the touch, almost dropping her toast and completely ruining Mike's attempt to be subtle. But when she met his eyes again it was seriously.

"I don't know what name I want yet... but I want to know."

"We could all try the names out as we talk to you for a while, and you tell us what you like?" Will offered. He was finally starting to see the side of her that his friends had described the whole last year. Scared, quiet, odd. The power she commanded by her voice and her stare last night were suddenly gone. Everything about her seeming more fragile and human than when they met.

El nodded eagerly at Will. Grateful for his solution.

"Then it's settled. Right now she is El, Jane, Eleven, Hopper." Dustin said matter of factly.

El let the corner of her mouth raise to a smile and the room lightened. 

Slowly a light chatter began breaking out between everyone.

"Oh Joyce. Did you get a call from Dr. Owens?" Hopper asked turning away from the kids.

"Oh! I forgot! Yes! He called around six. He said something about being in the hospital. He says he's fine. But said to let you know." Joyce said.

"Ok great. Would you mind doing me a favor and watching El for today? I need to go straighten things out, and figure out a cover story before this all gets out." He pleaded desperately. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her alone for the day again, after just getting her back.

"Of course Hop." Joyce said sincerely, placing a hand on his arm as reassurance.

"Thanks Joyce." He smiled at her relieved. "You're a life savor." 

"Oh stop it." Joyce blushed from the extra attention. She never knew what to do with herself when people were like this with her. Honestly, she was just glad for the extra company. Still too shook up over Bob, and not wanting to be alone. 

"So what's the story we are going to tell them?" She asked pointing discretely over her shoulder towards the group who was still chatting merrily. Three different conversations all going on at once. 

"That's what I don't know yet." Hop said worry creeping in his voice. "Look, I know given everything that's been going on, having them stay the night was a good idea. But I think it's time they all go home. Even if it is just for a few hours. Lord knows, the last thing I need today will be to have their parents calling into the station because their kids are missing."

"I agree..." Joyce sighed. 

"Ok. Good." Hopper nodded. He turned watching El once more, looking at her happy face, before he sighed. All good things must come to an end at some point...

"Alright gang." Hopper said loudly over all the voices. 

It took another minute or so for the conversations to die low before everyone was paying attention to him.

"Ok so. Joyce and I think it's high time you lot be getting home. Last thing I need today is for your parents to think you have gone missing."

At this there were several groans of complaints. None, louder than Wheeler's. The kid was half standing out of his seat, arms raised in disbelief, and mouth open ready for protest.

Hopper continued loudly over the top of him, not giving him a chance to get a word in edge wise.

"HOWEVER... I do not want you guys talking about this to anyone." He said over enunciating the last bit to make it as clear as possible. 

Mike slowly sat back down, the protest less defined, but still present in his face. 

Hopper continued, "Not until I figure out the most believable cover story. Got it?" 

Everyone nodded to confirm their understanding.

"What do we tell our parents?" Lucas chimed in.

Hopper looked back at him puzzled. He hadn't thought about that.

"We could tell them that you guys were out trying to help me find my cat last night?" Dustin shrugged.

"Not good enough. They will just say that we could of waited until morning. I mean, who finds a cat in the dark anyways?" Max huffed.

The group sat in silence for a moment. Everyone pondering.

After a moment, Will piped up. "You could always tell them you all came over here..." He  looked around bashfully. "Just tell them that I was having some relapse or something with the anniversary of my disappearance coming up, and you guys were here supporting me... I mean, it's not technically a lie..." He shrugged, looking away from everyone. "I don't know. It's just a thought."

"I think it's a great idea Will." Nancy said reassuringly.

"You do?" He said looking back at her in disbelief.

"Of course." She replied.

"Yeah me too." Mike agreed.

"Its genius. It's close to the truth, And it's got the sympathy vote!" Dustin agreed with a toothy grin, he would of nudged Will playfully if they were sitting next to each other.

"It's perfect. My parents will totally fall for it!" Lucas approved.

Max stayed silent. Secretly dreading going home. Not sure what she would be arriving to.

Will, on the other hand, beamed. Everyone's words warming him as efficiently as a hug.

"Then it's settled. Stick with that story, and I will let you guys know what the cover story is as soon as I know it." Hopper said.

Everyone nodded again. Standing up and stretching, and gathering their plates to take to the sink.

"Um Cheif? One more question." Steve inquired.

Hopper turned his gaze towards him, waiting for him to continue.

"If we are going home, then how will we find out the cover story?"

"I'll tell the Byers, and I'm sure they can figure out a way to fill you all in." Hopper said simply.

"Right." Steve said more to himself than to anyone in particular. 

Jonathan went over to the sink and began on the dishes, and Will grabbed a towel to help dry them. 

Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Steve were all walking leasurly into the living room to gather up the blankets.

"Hey Steve?" Dustin asked thoughtfully, cornering Steve by the couch as he folded his blanket.

"Hey what?"

"You left your car at the junk yard right?"

Steve groaned, setting down the neatly folded blanket on the arm of the couch. He completely forgot about his car. "Shit... I don't even know how to get there from here."

"I know how!" Dustin blurted out, picking up a blanket and folding it poorly.

Steve stopped and looked at Dustin, who was failing miserably with the blanket. He had folded it once just fine, but by the time he folded it again, the entire inside of the blanket had fallen out of his grasp, leaving a giant flap of fabric hanging out, that Dustin was attempting to shove back in with his hand. Steve raised he eyebrows in disbelief at Dustin.

"Oh my god. Give me that." Steve said yanking the blanket of of the boy's hands without protest, unable to watch him fold it anymore. "You really are terrible at this."

Dustin rolled his eyes at Steve, otherwise ignoring the comment. "Anyways. Like I was saying..." He said calmly. "You don't know where the junk yard is. And I do. So um, ---if... If I were to show you where it's at, would you give me a ride home?" Dustin finished nervously. 

"Wouldn't it be faster for you to just walk home from here?" Steve asked, placing the second, now perfectly folded, blanket on top of the first one.

"Um no!" Dustin said lowering his voice dramatically, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's like a 35 minute walk home, cause I didn't bring my bike... And it's only a 15 minute walk to the junk yard."

"Fine! Fine. You can ride with me." Steve said exhausperatedly. "But just this one time... Don't go thinking this is going to become a regular thing!" Steve warned pointing at Dustin's face, half serious, and half pretending to be mad.

"Yes!" Dustin said, triumphantly extending his arm out with a closed fist and pulling it back in, in victory. 

"And just you!" Steve added quickly. "None of your snot-nosed friends. No matter how smart you guys are... I am not going to become a taxi driver."

"Got it!" Dustin said extending his hand out to Steve, who took it and gave it a hard shake.

"Then it's a deal." He said.

Dustin turned away from Steve letting a gigantic grin spread across his face.

Lucas and Max already had two blankets folded, and were standing across from each other,  both of them holding two corners of the last blanket, beginning to fold it when Dustin approached them.

Max looked over at him with a teasing eye. "Stop gloating. It's not a good look on you." She mocked jokingly.

"Hey now!" Dustin exclaimed placing a hand over his heart and pretending to be hurt, regaurdless of his smile only growing wider. 

Nancy shuffled into the room awkwardly.

"Hey Steve? Can I talk to you for a moment?" She asked him without meeting his eyes.

Steve instantly grew stiffer, but nodded all the same, leading her to the empty hallway so they could talk in private.

"Look," she began, chancing a glance to his eyes. "I just wanted to say thank you for taking care of the kids the way you did. It couldn't of been easy." She gestured to his eye, before looking back down and drawing one of her arms across her body to grab her elbow, fingers fiddling with the threads of her sweater from yesterday.

"Oh!" Relief pored into Steve's voice. "Yeah I mean, they may be little shits. But it honestly wasn't that bad. I mean I was even having fun part of the time."

"I think they are really starting to like you." Nancy laughed.

"Yeah they warmed up pretty quick, didn't they?" He chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.

Suddenly Nancy was feeling clastrophobic. Her own guilt swallowing her up whole. This was a new side of Steve. One she never got to experience. And she felt like shit. Shitty for dumping him, shitty for sleeping with Jonathan twice when they haven't even talked yet, shitty for existing. "Well, um. I better grab Mike... Or our mom will probably kill us." She began to turn around and was about to walk out of the hall when,

"Nance?"

Nancy swivelled back around to face Steve.

"For the record... I'm sorry I didn't give you what you needed to cope with Barb." 

"Steve..." She said sadly.

"I'm glad you and Jonathan did what you did though... for Barb and her parents. They deserved it." Steve choked on his own words.

Nancy nodded trying her hardest not to tear up.

"I just wish I would of known," He admitted much more quietly, kicking a leg at nothing. "I wish I would of known that this what you had wanted so we could of done it together..."

Steve looked so pained. So sad. She had to say something. Wanted to make it better for him somehow. "I mean, I didn't even know that was really what I wanted until it happened." Tears were now slowly falling down Nancy's face.  

"I don't know, I guess if I knew that, what Jonathan did, with exposing the lab, was the way to keep you, I would of done it ages ago. But, well..." He paused. His face look strained. Trying his hardest not to hurt. But honestly, it was all too much. "Nevermind..." He said his face suddenly hot with embarrassment for pouring his heart out.

"Steve?" She said her voice quivering. 

But Steve had already passed her out of the hallway, and shortly after she heard Steve and Dustin calling goodbye, followed by the sound of the door shut behind them; leaving her alone in the hall with her sorrow. All the happiness from earlier drained away. And she leaned against the wall, sinking down to the floor, cradling her knees, and she wept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know... a sad ending this time. It just felt right though...
> 
> Anyways; comments, kudos, bookmarks, and advise are always welcome!


	13. Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hopper begins to notice how everyone has minor trust issues, and Him and Nancy come up with 2 plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know... 2 chapters in less that 24 hours! What is this?
> 
> Also thank you all for the 600 hits I got today!!! You guys me me feel so blessed!!
> 
> Lol truth is, I wrote this yesterday. This was originally supposed to be part of chapter 12. But literally 10 minutes before I posted the chapter, I realized I wanted to have Nancy crying be the end of last chapter and I wanted this one to stand alone. 
> 
> It's a shorter chapter. I've had so many long ones lately, I figured it was time to vary that up.
> 
> I was planning on waiting 2 days before posting this one, but it has been nagging me all day and I haven't been able to get anything done as a result. So you guys are getting this one early so I can actually focus on my homework. Hahaa. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! And now I'm going to go write an essay over the Delaware Rift Basin... yay me... (*internally sighing* this is so much more fun...)

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Will and Jonathan were finishing up the dishes leaving Joyce, Jim, Mike and El, together awkwardly not knowing what to do. 

It didn't take long for Joyce to turn and help her boys. Leaving Hopper, El and Mike alone. 

Mike was still sitting next to El, visibly distressed about having to leave her soon to go home. His cheeks were puffed out a bit. He was resting his head on one hand, which was causing his cheek to be pushed up and scrunching his eye a bit. And his mouth was pursed in the courners, while his lips were outstretched in a solid pout. 

Hopper slowly pulled out one of the empty seats across from El, and plopped down. Elbows resting on the table and hands clasped together. Mike watched Hopper, yet Hopper kept his eyes locked on El. 

Hopper briefly considered asking Mike for privacy, but quickly decided against it. He didn't feel like dealing with the inevitable fight that would ensure, so he opted to ignore him instead. 

"Alright El. As part of my promise, I want to be more honest with you."

El stared unblinkingly back at Hopper.

"So I need to go back to the lab, and straighten things out. Come up with a cover story, deal with the demo dogs. I need to talk to Dr. Owens about you and your situation. And I need to go into the station to try to get the news of all this on the down low."

El nodded.

"So tonight, I will be late." He said this more hesitantly, worried about her reaction.

"I know." El said softly. 

Hopper looked at her with surprise. "You do?" 

"Yes... Bad mess."

Hopper looked at her intrigued. "Alright then..." his voice not able to hide that he was taken aback. "I will try my hardest to be home by 7:15."

"7. 1. 5?" 

"Yeah kid. And if I'm going to be later I will signal."

El nodded again with a sigh.

"But, today I am leaving you with the Byers. And I was thinking... whenever we go home we could do dinner? Your choice... Whatever you want!" 

At this El got visibly excited, wiggling in her seat a bit and sitting up more attentively. "I get to stay here?" She said pausing between each word.

"For today, yes."

At this, El got up and ran around the table giving Hopper a rare hug.  He chuckled and hugged her back. 

"And whatever you want for dinner," he reminded her when she pulled away. 

"Eggo's?" She asked softly.

"How did I know?" Hopper said tussling her hair. "Eggo's it is!" With that, Hopper stood up and began gathering his things. 

Mike was sitting antsy; not listening to a word they were saying, as he waited for Hopper and El to stop talking. The entire time he had that nagging feeling again in his brain like he was still missing something. He had felt it last night too...

And while they had been talking, it suddenly struck him. He knew what it was that he had missed; and he NEEDED to ask El about it...

El was just coming to sit back down next to Mike, when he was suddenly surprised to hear Hopper addressing him.

"Hey Wheeler."

"Me?" Mike said pointing to himself.

Jim rolled his eyes. "Yes you."

El raised her eyes warningly at Hopper, and for the second time this morning he chose to ignore it.

"Where did your sister go?"

"I don't know." Mike accidentally snapped back.

"I need to talk to her real fast, can you find her and ask her to meet me outside in a second?"

"Um I guess... Why outside though?" Mike inclined.

"Because." Hopper retorted.

Mike turned from suspisous to hot head in zero to sixty. 

"What? Are you still trying to hide stuff from us?" Mike demanded.

"No!" Jim insisted sternly, raising his eyes giving his own warning.

Out of all of El's friends, why did she have to be in love with the only other kid in the group who didn't fear him? So far, Mike was the only one who rivaled her temper. Hopper couldn't help but realize how fitting it was... but still. It would be so much easier if El and Mike weren't such hot heads at times! If they could just trust him as much as they trusted each other.

"I just want to get the details of what she was up to, one last time, so I get it all straight before I leave. Also, that way of she left anything out, she can tell me without feeling pressure from all of you." 

All of this was a lie. But he'd never admit that. Not yet. 

Actually, on second thought, maybe he could see where El's and Mike's lack of trust was coming from.

But, Hopper's answer was good enough for Mike and he looked at El with puppy dog eyes before trudging out of the room to find his sister.

Jim turned one last time, thanking Joyce, saying bye to El, before heading to the front door. Hesitating only to drop money on the coffee table on his way out of the house.

When Mike found Nancy, her sobs had turned to sniffles. And she faked a cough to hide it when she heard his footsteps approaching. Seeing as it was too dark for him to him to her face, it worked.

Mike approached slowly. "Nance? What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, nothing!" She lied. "I just wanted a second to myself."

"Oh. Um. Ok. Well Hopper asked if you could meet him on the porch."

"Why?" Nancy asked suddenly curious.

"Something about wanting to get your story straight again." He shrugged. 

"Ok, I'll be out in a minute. I'm going to the bathroom first."

"Ok well hurry." Mike said before turning on his heels and going back into the kitchen.

Nancy slowly stood up and headed to the bathroom. She shut the door and stared into her reflection, hardly recognizing herself. She shook her head. She stared at her eyes. Definitely blood shot. She sighed and began splashing cold water on her face.

It took a while before Nancy finally met Hopper on the porch. He couldn't help but notice the pink in her swollen eyes. But he had a limited amount of time, so he pretended not to notice, moving ahead with his agenda.

"Ok so I'm going to get straight to the point." Jim started. 

Nancy crossed her arms casually and stared up at him as he towered over her. She couldn't help but notice how terrifying his height made him. "Hm hmm." She coughed. "Ok?"

"I work alot, and it only gives me a limited amount of time to teach El. And now that her secret is out, I could really use a tutor. I know your a good kid, and you are smart. The thing is, if she is ever going to be able to go to school with her friends, she has got a lot of catching up to do first. I'd pay you too. That is, if you are interested?"

"Of course!" Nancy said excitedly, flattered that the Cheif trusted her enough for this, especially after their awkward conversation earlier.

"Great! Um, don't tell your parents yet. We need to figure out a cover story for this too." 

"No need to worry. I wouldn't of told them about this anyways..." Nancy half-muttered, glancing sideways. 

In retrospect, this should of been Jim's first clue the Wheeler family wasn't all that it seemed. But he didn't even notice; something he would regret later on.

"I was thinking three days a week to start?"

"Sounds good."

"Ok come down to the station tomorrow and we will work out the rest of the details." 

"Alright," Nancy said appreciatively, turning to head back in the house.

She had just placed her hand on the nob when Hop stopped her again. "Oh and Nancy?"

"Hmmm?" She said looking over her shoulder.

"Don't tell your brother or his friends about this. Under ANY circumstances. I don't want him knowing just yet. I just got El back, and that all is so new, and I need to work out some things with El for a while before I am ready for that yet."

Nancy looked at him trying to hide her disapproval, "Of course Cheif." She vowed regardless.

"Thanks kid. If he asks, you were just clarifying some details about your trip."

Nancy gave a single dignified nod, and turned again to open the door once more; when one more thought occurred to her.

"Hey Cheif?"

"Yeah?" Hopper replied. He had already begun making his way to his car.

"I know your busy and all, but I just had an idea..." She said meeting a wild smile play on her lips.

Shortly after, both Nancy and Hopper were walking back in the house, both grinning spectacularly at the plan they just concocted up.

Just as they had suspected, when they came back in, Max and Lucas were sitting together on the couch. Mike, El, and the Byers no where in sight.

Nancy gave Hopper a tiny thumbs up before heading out of the room.

Jim approached the kids sitting together on the couch.

"Hey do you guys need a ride home?" Hopper asked casually.

"Yes please." Lucas said gratefully.

A hint of fear appeared in Max's eye. The color draining from her lips.

"I should probably just walk..." She said hurriedly. Standing up quickly and rushing towards the door.

"It's on my way? It's no problem." Hopper insisted.

"You don't even know where I live..." Max pointed out, now tying her show laces.

"Well, no... actually you are right." He agreed with her. 

El was now dragging Mike into the room, after hearing Hopper's voice. And crossing her arms moodily as she watched by the archway between the living room and the kitchen. Mike standing slightly behind her.

"But I was thinking, maybe I could escort you up to the door, talk you up as a model citizen, and best of all scare your brother a little bit. You know, to keep him off your back..." He offered.

That was enough to get Max's attention. She looked up.

"It would freak my parents out to see me coming home in a cop car..." She pointed out hesitantly.

"That's why I'd talk you up." Hopper explained.

"You would really do that for me?" Max asked again. She couldn't deny, the offer sounded tempting.

'What is it with these kids and their lack of trust in themselves or other's?' Hopper found himself wondering. "It is my job to keep assholes like your brother in line, isn't it?"

Max squinted at the Cheif, her head leaned back, waiting for another moment, considering her options.

"Okay. I'll do it!" Max said finally standing up. 

Lucas smiled happily at her.

El looked displeased, but tried to hide it. She did still kinda feel bad about Max's dick of a brother... Hopper driving Max, she wasn't a fan of. But If it was to be putting bad men in their place, maybe it was worth it, just this once.

Before they knew it everyone was repeating their goodbyes, and Hopper was guiding Max and Lucas over to his car.

Happiness was boiling in Max's gut like a baking soda volcano, and she felt like she was going to explode. 

She couldn't help but remember how just last night, she was thinking that pay back for Billy couldn't get any better than driving his car and wrecking it. And now, she was here ready to pretend to be in leagues with the cops, just to scare him.

With a grin on her face she hopped in the front passenger seat and buckled up. Never more ready for a car ride home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know I've had alot of Nancy lately. Which is odd because she's like my least favorite character... don't judge. But I think at this point in time she would be having the most drama which makes her emotions more complex for a little bit. 
> 
> But, next up: More Mileven! It'll be fluffy! And Great! I am so ready to write it for you guys!
> 
> I've had the idea for this next chapter since I wrote chapter 4 like a month ago. I've been dropping tiny hints about what their upcoming conversation will be about, and I've been building it into the plot since chapter 9! 
> 
> (Have you noticed? Bet you haven't! Or maybe you have! Idk? The hints were seriously tiny.)  
> Feel free to take a guess what Mileven needs to discuss in the comments!


	14. Don't Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and El have a serious conversation and say their goodbyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I had a fully formed idea when I posted the last chapter, but by the time I got my homework and everything else done the next day, I completely forgot what I wanted to write about and I never got it back. So I lost motivation for a bit and suffered writers block. But who doesn't, eventually. Lol. Anyways... finally, here's another chapter!

Things were notibly more quiet with Hopper, Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Steve all gone. The Byers and Nancy were all still in the kitchen, leaving Mike and El alone in the otherwise abandoned room.

While the idea with being alone again was enticing, but Mike found himself unable to embrace it. 

Hopper's voice replaying something he had said last night, on repeat, in his brain.

"Then four days ago she ran away to find you." 

Mike was still standing behind her in the archway between the kitchen and the living room. 

El was still leaning up against the wooden frame easily; hips jutted out, and arms crossed, still staring at the door everyone had left through just a minute ago, clearly in thought.

For a moment, he observed her. From what he could see, she appeared mostly relaxed. But he could tell, even from behind, that her shoulders were slumped a bit. Her posture extremely lazy. He couldn't help but think about how much more... natural... everything about her seemed now than it had before. She looked so much more comfortable now than she did a year ago. 

He felt a mixture of happiness, pride, and sadness raise up in his chest for her. Last he saw her, the tiniest things had made her jumpy, and fearful. Now she is able to be lost in her own world. Regardless of his current distaste for Hopper, he couldn't help but feel thankful that, she had had one consistent place to live, where she wasn't living in constant fear. It may not be the best existence, from what he gathered last night listening to their story; but at least during her time with him, she grew to be comfortable, existing like a regular person. Comfortable to do things as simple as lean...

His eyes traveled to her hair. Which, honestly, he was still trying to get used to. 

Everything about her was just so different now... pink dress traded for black punk cloths. Comfortable and supposidly defiant opposed to cowering and fearful. Speaking sentences, even if it wasn't fluently, in comparison to last year's one word replies. And last year's buzz cut replaced by those gorgeous, wild, ringlets.

The latter had to be his favorite change in her, even if it was the hardest one to get used to. 

It was now approaching 9:00 A.M. It was one of those oddly stunning mornings. Whether or not that was subjective due to his sudden turn of luck, Mike would never know. The yellow light from the sun was now indirectly flooding the tiny room. It wasn't aimed just right for the beams to be streaming in through the window, directly into the room, to join their presence in the harsh blinding way. The angle of the sun was still too far off to the side, for that. Instead the light came in softly, bouncing warmly off the floors, and radiating everything it touched. But, even though the light was softly filling the room, the walls in the room still remained dark, the neutral walls sitting in a chocolate brown shadow, and untouched by the rays. But that didn't make the room dim by any means. It was bright enough to see everything perfectly, with no need to turn on any lights. Instead the dark walls added a depth to the room, since everything else in the room was illuminated by the soft light bouncing back up from the floor. And even though the room was littered in paper and trash, junk and broken window bits, the room shining in a beautiful golden glow.

Mike glanced around at the room before staring once more at El. The light was illuminaing the front of her. But ge was standing behind, to where all he could really see was the s-curved shadow of her body outlined in a halo. He stared at her the curves of her body leaned against the beam briefly, cheeks turning a light shade of pink as he hurried to look somewhere else. He observed the wrinkles in the jacket. Her curls, the edges of which appeared much darker in the shadow, except the certain random strands outlined in yellow. Making it easy to find the individual hairs that had frizzed and strayed from their packs... Trying to drink the moment and commit it to memory. 

And while the sight was so beautiful, he could imagine it being a painting that he just wanted to drink it in forever, his thoughts kept distracting him. Not allowing him to keep oggling at the mysterious girl in front of him, in peace, as he wished to do. 

"Hey, um, El?" Mile finally said, lightly tapping on her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts, and getting her attention.

El jumped a bit, and turned around slowly to face him.

Mike lowered his hand and began playing with his thumbs. Gazing hurriedly over his shoulder to the Byers and his sister chatting politely in the kitchen, before looking at her again.

"Yes?" El replied quietly.

"Can I..." he began quietly. He swallowed anxiously before beginning again, this time forcing a bit more confidence in his voice. "Can I ask you something?"

El nodded, and Mike took her fingers and guided her back over to the couch.

El sat down in the same corner of the couch she sat in last night, curling her legs up as she sat, and releasing her hand from Mike's as she did so. She sat for a moment, desperately hoping Mike would come up close to her again. Sitting so close that she could feel his leg next to her's her, last night... but alas, he did not.

Mike took a second to gather his thoughts before he sat down next to El. He sat about eight inches away from El. Just enough room for him to reach her comfortably if he wanted, but also just enough room where attempting the reach would look and feel unnatural. So instead he angled his body to face hers, hands clasped together and he rested his forearms on his thighs. His posture one of a deep, contemplative lean.

He turned his gaze from the floor and turned his head directly towards El.

"So, um, El?" Mike said looking at her. 

El figited nervously with her sock. She had looked forward to more time with just Mike, but something felt odd. And she didn't know what. But it made her nervous. 

"...Jane?" Mike asked shyly, trying the name out again, while attempting to gain her attention. This time it felt a little less strange on his tounge, but it certainly wasn't natural, yet. 

This got El's attention quick though. And she immediately let loose of the seam of her sock and she jerked her head up meeting his gaze.

Mike could see the surprise in her eyes, and instantly knew she had not expected him to actually use her real name. For a moment, he worried if she didn't like him using it. But after a breif pause the tiniest, confused, closed mouth grin appeared on her face, and her brow crinkling.

Mike smiled quickly back before proceeding.

"Hopper said something last night, and it got me thinking... He said that you guys got into a fight because 4 days ago you ran away to find me. And well..." 

El's face immediately fell into a poker face of unreadable emotions, and Mike scratched the back of his head anxiously. 

"You see, it just got me thinking. And well, I just remembered that 4 days ago we were looking for Dart; Dustin's demodog... And well, I was in the gym and something happened to Max while she was riding her skate board, and... I don't know. It just wasn't something that could be explained... unless it was you? But at the time I just dismissed it, thinking that it was just me going crazy again and getting my hopes up... But now I want to know. Was it you El? Were you really there too?"

Mike stared intently at her face, searching her for any type of reaction, a squint of an eye, blush, frown... anything. And he was glad he did because if he would of blinked he would of missed the flinch she gave at the question. 

"Yes," she whispered in a voice full of guilt.

Mike's heart dropped. "You-u, you were there?"

El didn't respond, because she didn't need to. Just one look at her was answer enough from him.

She sat cringing at the memory. It was still too painful. Seeing Mike, and Max; that smile shared between the two of them. Unbenost to her presence. Like a secret between the two of them. It still made her feel alone. She had been planning on taking this secret to the grave. Preferring Mike never knew she was there. It would of been so much better that way...

Mike sat stunned for a moment, just staring at El, not knowing what to think. 

"But if you were there, why didn't you come to me?" He suddenly felt hurt.

"I-"

Mike couldnt keep the hurt out of his voice now, frustration bubbling up with it. "I mean you ran away to see me, put yourself in so many risks to do it, and you couldn't even come out to say 'Hi Mike, I'm alive'?" 

"I-"

Mike's brow raised almost challingingly.

"Mike, I'm sorry!" El said, now hurt too. A tear rolled down her cheek

Mike's voice softened sadly. Her tear effectively halting his anger, and suddenly making him feel incredibly guilty for his little outburst. "It's just... you heard me every night. Didn't you know that the thing I wanted more than anything in the world was just to know that you were alive and ok? That I would of given ANYTHING to see you?"

El sighed, another silent tear slid down her cheek.

"I wanted to see you too. But its... it's?" She paused looking for the right word. "Stupid." She finished looking at her lap, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

"What was stupid?" Mike inclined, soft and curious.

"You were so happy..." 'with her' she added in her head. "Without me. I couldn't be there." She said, her voice pleading for him to understand.

"El," Mike said, scooting closer to her, taking one hand and nervously using it to brush the tears off her cheeks before peering into her deep eyes seriously, "Nothing could of made me happier than seeing you..." 

While his words were kind, El had a hard time dismissing what she saw, and for a moment she sat staring back at him. 

"And I definitely wasn't happy..." Mike added as an after though releasing her cheek.

"But, I saw how you looked at her..." she replied so quietly he could barely hear her.

"Who?" Mike asked now very confused.

"Max." El said doing her best to not spit out her name. "She made you smile..." she wanted to add 'you held her hand as she stood up,' but she couldn't bring herself to voice that allowed.

"Wait... hold on." Mike said with a ting of ammusedment creeping into his voice. "I don't like Max, El. I barely even could stand her till you came around."

El raised her eyes skeptically.

Mike grabbed her fingers again. "It's true! You can ask anyone... El I missed you every day, and I know I'm only thirteen, but I'm pretty positive I'm in love with you. I've never felt like I do around anyone except when I'm with you. I don't know why. I just do."

"You like me more than her?" El asked still unsure.

"Of course!"

El finally cracked a smile. "Love." She hummed.

Mike blushed.

"I'm sorry I left you." She said honestly. She had decided to forgive Mike. She still didn't trust Max, but right now that wasn't her problem.

"I know," he sighed. Mike was gently taking one of his hands and using it to play with a curl. He twirled it around his finger twice. Taking the opportunity to inch closer to her face. That kiss last night was so electric, he found himself craving another one. El was leaning in too. Too close to count the constellation on the bridge of his nose.

"Hehemm!" Came a cough from the entrance of room.

Mike sprang back, from El instantly. Both of them turning a dark shade of pink, and turning to see Will was standing in the door way clearly uncomfortable.

Will couldn't help but feel awkward. He had just been asked to go tell Mike that Nancy was almost ready to leave, and then he walked in on this. 

Were they about to kiss? He hated to brake up the moment if they were. Their faces were so close together. Their noses were almost touching. But yet at the same time, he really didn't want intrude on his friends if it was their first kiss. Isn't that supposed to be private? It all felt so weird. 

Part of him didn't like the idea of it either... something he felt instantly shitty for. But he had only known El for less than 24 hours... Yes, he knows that Mike and her had gotten real close that one week last year, and then had seen first hand how heart broken he was when she left. He realizes that his best friend was grieving the whole entire year. He could even see how broken her absence left him. And yet, here she was, back for one day and they might of just been about to kiss? Didn't that seem a little fast? What if she left again? 

Yet, even if he hardly knows the girl, and has hardly seen her and Mike together, Will already knows that they are bonded by something deep. It almost frightens him... But more than anything he suddenly feels alone.

Not because he has missed out on so much of the adventure with his friends. Missed out on meeting El with everyone else. But alone because Mike has always been his best friend, but in that moment, he realized that Mike was moving on in his life.  Mike had found a girl, and he was head over heels in love. And he knew deep down, that now everything was going to change. Will just didn't want to get left behind. And no, he didn't want El gone either... he's not a petty person. She may will be a complete mystery, but will couldn't deny that she helped make the group feel somehow more complete, and so far, he liked her for that. But still, he wasn't sure he was ready for change.  Not after everything. 

And it was exactly this feeling that Will felt most guilty for. 

So he pushed his feelings aside because Mike loved El and El loved Mike. And as Mike's best friend, he wouldn't allow himself to get in the way of their happiness. Because they had fought enough to finally find each other. So it would be good enough for him too.

It took an awkward few seconds before Will broke into a smile in front of them. "Um... Hey guys."

"Hi Will." El replied shyly.

"Mike, Nancy wanted me to tell you that she is just about ready to leave..." Will said,  before exiting the room deciding to give his friends their privacy, just in case...

El broke out into a nervous giggle, and Mike groaned loudly, head thrown back and covering his face with his hands, when Will exited the room. He groaned partly because they were almost caught. The moment was definitely ruined, adrenaline way too high to try to go in for the kiss now. And he groaned as partly because he desperately did not want to go home.

El had finished giggling as Mike rubbed his eyes and then finally pulled his hands away from his face. 

"Guess that means that I have to grab my stuff..."

El sighed sadly as both of them stood.

"Don't want you to leave," she pouted.

"I don't want to leave either," Mike said, watching her adorable little lips.

"Stay with me?" She pleaded.

"I wish I could. I'll be lucky if I'm not going to be grounded as is though." Mike huffed.

El's eyes got wide. "No eggos and no tv?" She asked seriously, remembering that Hopper told that was what grounded meant.

At this, Mike chuckled. "No... more likely I'm not all-out to go out and see anyone or do anything for a while."

"Oh." El said letting her face fall.

"But now I know what your grounded from..." Mike teased, hoping to cheer her up a bit, and she smiled sadly back at him as they ran around collecting his things.

"Ugh! I really don't want to go!" Mike said one more time. One night with El had not been nearly enough! 

All too soon, Mike and Nancy were standing by the front door, Jonathan, Will, Nancy, and Mrs. Byers all standing around them, saying their goodbye's and thank you's. Jonathan leading  Nancy out to his car. And Mike and El, once again, being the last ones left at the door.

They stood staring at each other.

"If my mom woln't let me come back over today, then when will I get to see you again?" Mike asked. He desperately needed to know. The idea of leaving El for a long periods of time after just getting to finally see her again, too much for him to bare.

"I don't know.." El said sadly.

"Soon?" Mike asked.

El made a face of disguist.

"What?" Mike asked completely confused. 'Did I do something?'

"I hate that word!" She told him.

"Ok, well if I don't come back, can you just ask Will to get on his supercom and talk to me tonight?"

El nodded, and hesitated before asking him, "What if I don't or can't see you again?" This was her biggest fear besides Brenner. She had been worrying all morning about something that would happen again and she would never be allowed of Hoppers house ever again. That She would never get to see Mike.

Mike tilted her chin up so she was looking at him before replying. "You will see me again. I promise." 

She sighed content with the answer.

And she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Mike and to brace himself so he didn't fall. And he hugged her back just as tightly. Never wanting to let her go. 

HOOOONNNKKKKK!

Nancy was reaching across Jonathan to hold her hand on the horn, finally making them pull apart after three minutes.

"Come on Mike! We need to be getting home!" Nancy shouted from the car.

Mike sighed and studied El's face one last time, wanting to remember every detail this time before he left.

El opened her mouth, "Good B-..."

Mike put his finger over her lips shushing her as she looked up at him, startled with wide eyes.

"No good byes." He said quickly. "Last time you said that, I didn't see you for 353 days..." his voice was pained. "How about..." He stopped for a second, thinking. "Until next time?" Mike shrugged, eyebrows cocked questioningly. 

El smiled and nodded. "Until next time," she stated and agreed.

Mike grinned back.

HONK! HONK! 

"Mike, come on!" Nancy shouted.

"I'm coming! I'm coming..." Mike called back, stepping slowly away from El. Instantly missing the warmth from her skin, as he did so.

Mike turned to go, smiling back at her over his shoulder, and giving a small wave. He stopped one more time as he opened the back seats car door. Pausing, one foot in the car and one on the ground, to call to her once more. "Until next time." He said warmly, words full of promise. And then he hopped in the car behind to Nancy and buckled up.

"You ready?" Nancy asked seriously. The question heavily weighted, knowing how hard this was for him.

"Never will be..." Mike sighed staring at El giving one more wave to her. 

Nancy accepted his answer with a solem nod, and Jonathan began backing out of the driveway. 

El waving the entire time as they pulled away. Her and Mike never breaking eye contact until they were out of sight; and El took a deep breath, lowering her arm slowly.

"Please be soon." She whispered, before returning inside the Byers cozy little house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I've officially been writing this fic for 2 months now! That's so exciting! I never expected the amount of you guys who read this story. It never ceases to blow my mind!
> 
> As always, thanks for reading. I love all of you guys! My next two chapter outlines are one for Will and El bonding, and one for Nancy and Mike bonding and some Karen interaction. I haven't decided which one I want to come first so if you have a preference feel free to let me know in the comments!
> 
> Until next time ♡


	15. Siblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and Nancy go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys finally I have a new chapter for you! Yay!

The car ride home was a somber one for Mike.

He felt increasingly more moody the further they got from the Byers home, and the closer he got towards his own home. He felt as if the sunny weather, which he though was so radiant just minutes ago, was now just mocking him; and he was over it. He sat slumped in the back seat arms crossed, switching his gaze between his sister, Jonathan, and the window. Pretty much in that order too. The car ride was silent. And Mike sat desperately wishing for noise. Anything to get his regrets out of his head. Even if it was breif...

It was the second time in two days that he couldn't believe he was coaxed into willingly leaving El. And, almost out of habit at this point, he was feeling the residual nervous energy and separation anxiety. Fearing that he might never see El again, just because, that was all he knew to do when she was absent in his life... 

He watched silently as Jonathan and Nancy exchanged glances a little more than what was nessisary, and he couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Nancy right now.

All too soon, and yet, somehow not soon enough, they were pulling up the street and coming to a slow and steady stop, not in the drive way, but along the side of the road near their house; giving them a straight path to the front door. 

Mike sighed, unclicked his seat belt, and hopped out of the car. He stood stretching out his back as he waited for Nancy to join him.  And when he noticed she was still in the car, he leaned against Jonathan's tiny car. Not really caring about his sisters delay, because honsetly, after everything that had happened in the last few days, going home just seemed too normal. 

Nancy held back for a second as Mike hopped out of the car, and waited for the door to close before she turned to Jonathan. She had spent the car ride beginning to think things through.  
"Jonathan?" She began nervously.

"Yeah?"

She sat for a second, staring at his consol. She had known what she wanted to say two seconds ago, she had been rehearsing it in her head the whole ride. But, suddenly, all of the had left her. Her mind just, blank.  "Um, well..." She looked up at him again, before beginning awkwardly. "Things between us have been... great. The last few days. Like, really great... but-"

"But maybe we have taken things too fast?" Jonathan offered gently.

"Well, yeah." Nancy replied guiltily.

"Yeah I've been wondering that too..." Jonathan sighed. "Not that I'm regretting you, or whatever this is, or anything!" He added quickly. "It's just with the world almost ending and everything..."

"We got caught up in living life, without thinking." Nancy said. 

"Exactly..." Jonathan sighed.

"Yeah, and I still need to talk to Steve... and think..." 

"And then after that maybe we should talk?" Jonathan suggested kindly.

Nancy nodded.

Jonathan could see the crestfallen expression written clearly on her face. So he cupped her cheek making her look at him. "So we slow things down. Take our time. It's not like I'm going anywhere... you're worth the wait."

She looked up at him, flattered, and with a swelling heart. "Thank you Jonathan." She said with a small smile.

Jonathan pulled her face closer to his and pressed a quick kiss to her temple, before looking out the window that Mike was leaning his lower back against. "Now you should probably get going though. You don't want to keep Mike waiting."

"Right." Nancy breathed in, collecting herself. She let her hand grab the cold metal of the door handle and pushed. Bending over once more once she was outside to look at Jonathan. "Talk to you soon though?"

Jonathan smiled. "Of course." 

Nancy smiled shyly again, nodding. "Bye then."

"Bye Nance." 

And Nancy shut the car door, both her and Mike turning to watch as Jonathan drove away. Mike slightly envying his sisters ability to use the word 'bye,' without feeling crippling emotional pain.

Mike and Nancy met each other's eyes before both looking grudgingly over their shoulders at their home. They turned slowly, facing the house, as they stared at it side by side.

Nancy sighed and hugged her arms to her chest. "After everything, you'd think I'd be ready to go home..."

Mike nodded and gulped. He looked over at Nancy silently agreeing. 

Nancy met his glance, instantly reading that he felt the same, before she snorted a laugh.

Mike raised an eyebrow questioning at her. 

"You would think we had been abused or something by how we are acting..." She answered.

At this Mike too snorted, letting the corner of his mouth rise upwards.

"You ready?" She asked, putting her arm around him.

Mike blushed. "No... but we can't stand here staring at our own house all day without things getting weird. So.."

Nancy chuckled begrudgingly. 

Together they made their way across the lawn and up to the front door. At the welcome mat, they looked at eachother one last time, relishing in everything they had just witnessed, and bracing themselves for a possible attack. 

Bravely, Nancy pushed through the front door, and her and Mike stepped in.

"Hello?" Nancy called cautiously, craining her neck to look down the hallway toward the kitchen. 

Mike looked into the living room seeing his dad asleep on the lazyboy. His mouth was wide open and he let out a soft rolling snore. The tv lit with some people from the 70's dressed up in dull colored elaborate costumes, singing some terrible song that Mike didn't recognize.

Mike grabbed Nancy by the shoulder and pointed at Ted. They met each other's gaze again and shared silent chuckles. 

"So the world almost ends, and dad is still asleep on the lazyboy..." Nancy giggled.

"Some things don't change..." Mike agreed in a huff of silent laughs. "So do you think we are good?" He said gathering himself.

Nancy shrugged, about to head off to her room. God had she ever wanted a shower so badly in her life? When-

"NANCY?" Karen's panicked voice squealed from upstairs.

Nancy and Mike met each other's gaze wide eyed. 

Uh-oh... 

A pattering of footsteps could be heard seconds afterwards. And it wasn't long before Karen was standing at the top of the stairwell looking down at her children. 

She was flustered. Her hair was fixed, but not to its usual level of perfection, she was in her long blue skirt and had a patterned button-up tucked into it. She had one hand on the railing and one hand on her hip in that motherly way.

"Oh! Thank God! Mike your here too!" Karen let her shoulders relax for a second. After Billy left last night, and they hadn't come back, she had been so worried. She hurried down the steps. Scooping her kids up and hugging them tightly. 

Nancy let it happen. But Mike squirmed awkwardly. "Mom? What the hell?"

Lucky for him, Karen didn't hear, but that didn't stop Nancy from smacking his leg the best she could from within her mother's tight embrace.

"Ow..." Mike muttered disgruntled before catching Nancy's warning look. He dropped silent at once.

Karen stepped back three seconds later. The relief that her children were finally home and all in one peice, was vanishing quickly, suddenly being replaced by anger.

"Where the hell have you guys been?!" She yelled, and then continued on before either of them had a chance to do more than blink. "I was worried sick! Nancy, I called your friends and no one has seen you in days, and Mike I thought I told Billy to tell you to come home as soon as he saw you." She looked at them expectantly. 

Nancy's jaw dropped.

"What?!" Mike exclaimed aghaust. "Hold on..." he said raising his hands up as though he was using them to process what she was saying. "You're telling me that you saw Billy last night?"

 "Yes," Karen replied, remembering the visit from last night fondly.

"As in... he came here?" Mike asked enunciating the last few words carefully.

"Yes? He came here looking for Max, and so I sent him to Mrs. Byers house... Why? Did he never show up?" She became suddenly worried. 'That poor boy, he was so nice!'

"Oh this is rich..." Nancy muttered, silently catching on to her mom's dreamy look.

"No way..." Mike said to himself as he shook his head head in disbelief. "No, he showed up alright... He showed up screaming his head off at Max, then he slammed Lucas up against a china cabinet, and Steve tried to save Lucas, and got into a fight with Billy. And Steve got the shit.... I mean crap... beat out of him. And Max had to inject him with something so he didn't kill Steve..."

"Billy... What?" Karen asked. Half of her hoped this was just some crazy made up kid exaggeration thing.

"It's true mom, you should see Steve's face..." Nancy piped up.

She looked between her kids dumbfounded. "Why would he do something like that?"

"Because he is an abusive asshole." Nancy muttered.

"Language..." a no longer sleeping Ted called from the living room. Karen's shouting waking him.

"It's true, and I think he has it out for Max anyways." Mike added

"Well, is everyone ok?" Karen asked worriedly.

"They are now." Mike replied lazily. 'No thanks to you...'

"Wait, why was Steve at the Byers? And you too Nancy?" Karen's eyes narrowed studying her daughter carefully. "Is that why none of your friends have seen you this weekened like you told me? Please tell me this isn't another situation like last year?"

Nancy's eyes got wide. "Mom?!" She said voice suddenly low, and casting a warning look from her to Mike.

"Oh so your not just lying to me so you can go around screwing your boyfriend? Come on Nancy! I thought we were past all this?" Karen whined just as loudly as she had before.

"Mom! Seriously! That's not what was happening!" Nancy insisted wide eyed.

Mike looked between them hesitantly. He had known for a while that Nancy and Steve were sleeping together. He was not aware that his mom already knew that.

"Really Nancy? Then where were you this weekened?" Karen challenged.

Mike began to press himself against the wall while trying not to be noticed. Slowly going for one step at a time. Maybe if he was lucky, he could slip on past his mother and sneak on down to his room unnoticed...

His mother's eyes missed nothing and she cast him a look before returning her stare back to Nancy. "Uhn-uh. We are not done yet either Micheal."  
   
Mike halted, arms pressed hard against the wall, one foot on floor, and on the first step. He remained frozen watching the conversation in front of him, disappointment coursing through him.

Things were silent for a moment. Nancy staring at Mrs. Wheeler, and her staring back. Nancy's mind racing.

"Nancy, you can tell me..." Karen said more softly, just wanting her child to open up for once. "And you already know I think Steve is a good kid. So whatever it is..."

"It's not about Steve! Ok?" Nancy suddenly exploded. "We broke up mom. So I haven't been with him at all, except when we were all at the Byers yesterday. I've been with Jonathan the last few days... doing things for Barb." and Nancy broke down into tears again.

Mike was startled, but instantly felt for his sister, and he quickly found himself by her side, hugging her tightly as she convulsed, glaring angrily at his mother like she betrayed them.

Karen watched, bewildered by her kids reactions. When had she become so distant from them, and when had they become so close?

"Nancy," Mrs. Wheeler said hesitantly, "I am so sorry."

Nancy accepted the apology with a sniffle, releasing Mike.

"But that still doesn't explain what you all were doing at the Byers yesterday," Mrs. Wheeler gently added.

"We were all there because Will was having a hard time with the anniversary of his disappearance coming up, and Joyce asked if we could come. It was really bad mom... It was like major PTSD and stuff... When we first showed up he didn't even realize we were there." Nancy may of had tears staining her face, but she lied so smoothly, that Mike had to look at the floor to hide his expressions. When did she get so good at that? He needed to learn! And soon. With El back in the picture, there was a lot, he was sure he would have to be lying about...

"Poor thing!" Karen said sadly.

'Score one for the sympathy vote.' Mike thought.

Karen looked up, taking in her children's appearances. "And why do you look so dirty?" She asked a bit disgusted.

"In one of the episodes, Will ran in Castle Byers, and it was a fight to bring him back inside." Mike replied, doing his best to hide the pride he felt for such a good on the spot lie. Maybe he wouldn't need to consult Nancy on this afterall. Maybe this was one of those Wheeler characteristics.

Karen glanced both of them over once more nodding and accepting Mike's explanation. But then another thought popped in her head. 

"And why was there stuff, that they could inject Billy with, just laying around?"

Mike's eyes bulged. He didn't mean to say all that. Well he did... but really, he never thought his mom would think that through. 

"Part of Wills PTSD treatment stuff?" Mike suggested.

Karen sat back on the third step on the stairs, trying to process all the information she had just been given.

"Well I'm glad you both are ok, and I'm proud of you for supporting Will. That couldn't of been easy for either of you. However! That is no excuse for either of you to not call me and tell me where you are. You have no clue how worried I was! You guys are both grounded for a week."

"Seriously? Mom I'm in high school?" Nancy exclaimed.

"And you lied to me all weekend about where you were and who you were with, when you could of just told me." Karen said firmly.

"Seriously?"

"No!" Mike yelled, standing stock still staring unblinkingly at his mother like the world was ending.

"For a week!" Karen yelled over both of them. "That means coming home right after school unless it is academic."

"But mom!" Mike whined desperately. He just found out El was back. He couldn't wait a WHOLE WEEK before seeing her again.

"No but's, Micheal!" Karen insisted. "Now go shower, both of you." Kaden said crinkling her nose again, and standing up with her arms crossed. 

Nancy relented, shoulders shrugged, as she began trudging up the stairs to her room.

Mike stood staring at his mother in disbelief. Karen challenged his stare with an eyebrow raise, until finally Mike sighed and he too began clunking his way up the stairs. Letting his feet fall heavy with every step.

When he was lifting off the third stair, his mother called after him, and he turned to face her.

"Micheal... I just want you to know, even though you're grounded. That doesn't mean that I'm not proud of you for how loyal you are to your friends. And really I'm not that mad at you. It's just I want you to know where you are from now on. Ok?" She said this all sadly.

Her tone made the bottom drop out of Mike's anger, and instead drowned him in a guilty/depressed mix. The fact that she complimented him, making him feel like shit. Like he was a disappointment... "Ok." He replied glumly and he allowed his feet to carry him to his room.

He could hear his mom rounding on his father as he walked away. 

"Ted. Seriously? Your children come home after a few DAYS of being gone, and all you say is 'Language?'"

"What?" His dad said cluelessly.

"No hello? No where you've been?"

"So?"

"You are absolutely unbelievable!"

Mike stood outside his bedroom door for a moment, tuning out his parent's, and absentmindedly listening to the sound of the hot water turn on in the bathroom down the hall. 

How long has it been since he was last in his room anyways? He pushed open the door. Flung off his jacket, and dramatically flopped himself onto the bottom bunk of his bed. Today, had to be, the worst day of his life. Ever.

It seemed stupid now, but earlier, he had just assumed that no matter how much trouble they got in, their actions would of overridden it. There would be no way they would STAY in trouble. Now he just wanted to smack himself for his stupidity. He should of seen this coming. It was just his luck really.

He layed motionless on top of his soft clean bed. He felt drained of all energy, of all excitement, of all life. He felt hollow... just blahhhh. His limbs were spread eagled, and he felt disgusting. He stared upwards not seeing anything and feeling numb with depression and nothingness.

It could of been 10 minutes or an hour later that Mike finally heard the water shut off in the bathroom and he finally forced himself to sit up. Every movement slow as he stood and crossed his room to his dresser. He lifted his hand hap-hazardly; opening up his shirt, underwater, socks, and pants drawers. He didn't even bother checking to be sure he had matching clothes, just grabbing whatever was on top. Mike didn't even have the energy to shut his own drawers, so all of them were left wide opened.

Mike stepped into the steamy bathroom and took a deep breath letting the humidity clear his head as he turned on the water again. For a second he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

He almost didn't recognize himself, and not because he was filthy from yesterday. He hadn't properly looked at his reflection since last year, too busy wallowing to notice the details in his appearance. He'd grown a lot since then. His face noticeably less round, and he had considerably less of his baby features. His skin was spread ever so tightly across his face, and his jaw line was more prominent than before. 

When had he changed so much? 

Why hadn't he noticed sooner?

The answer didn't hit him until he was standing under the warm stream of water a minute later. And when it hit him; it hit him like a truck.

He hadn't looked at himself since the day El went missing, because he was too scared of who he'd see looking back at him. 

He hadn't realized this before... but that was definitely it. 

And now?

El's home. And for the first time in a long time, he can breathe again.

He took a deep breath of steamy air, gulping it down. And then another breath. And another. 

He stayed gulping down air as slowly tears came down his cheeks mixing with the water from the shower, as the weight and meaning of those words finally sank in. It was like he suddenly woke up from a day dream. No... from a nightmare really. But now, everything would really be ok. 

For the first time since her disappearance, Mike let memory after memory of El come flooding in. For the first time in a year, not forcing himself to suppress the stream of thoughts.

He remembered the first time he saw her, soaking wet in the rain.

He remembered how round her eyes were when he called her El for the first time.

The fear in her eyes as she showed him her tattoo.

Putting makeup on her.

How she flipped that van as she clung to his jacket, while they rode his bike.

Mike gasped as he remembered how her lips felt the first time he kissed her. That memory in particular he had tried to force down so hard. But now it came flowing back to him with ease.

How she walked in last night looking so tough, so strong. So brave... Determined.

Last week, the feeling of her, when they were apart.because he knew she was there. And now he knew he was right.

El standing in Nancy's pink dress and that wig... smiling that tiny smile. Proud for making Troy pee himself.

El begging for him when her papa tried to take her away. 

Her laughing as she tried the lazy boy for the first time.

 The way she saved him.

Their electrifying kiss last night.

How she promised he'd never lose her again.

He welcomed them. Each memory. One by one. Crying tears of relief. 

El wasn't lost anymore. She wasn't gone. She wasn't dead. The reality of it all finally hitting him. She is alive, and he could sing it from the rooftops. 

Half of him still in shock from happiness, and the other half of him still shocked that this hadn't struck him sooner, like when he was actually with El.

But last night really did feel like a day dream...

And he may be grounded... but for the first time in a long time, he finally had a reason to live. And God was he happy to be alive. Ready to see her again.

It was 20 minutes later, when he found himself standing outside of Nancy's door, knocking on it. Honestly, Mike's not sure how he got there. He definetly doesn't remember his shower. Or getting dressed. He just remembers how crystal clear his life just became. And her beautiful face... God, El's so pretty.

"Mike?"

Mike jumped a little. Nancy's voice startling him from his thoughts.

Nancy was standing across from him, leaning against her door in some fresh pajamas with her arms crossed casually and her hair still damp.

"Is everything ok? You're starting to worry me." Nancy asked.

Mike opened his mouth awkwardly for a second before he spoke, shaking his head. "Yeah um..." He looked around awkwardly, suddenly looking for a reason to even be there. "You know what. Never mind. I'm up early not sure what I'm doing here anyways... I'm just going to..." He pointed behind himself to the hallway and was about to swivel himself on out of there.

"No Mike. Wait."

"Yeah?" Mike asked curiously.

"It's just. After everything that's just happened. I don't think we should be alone..." she shrugged.

"Oh?" Mike said surprised.

"Yeah. Um. Wanna come in?" She asked opening the door a little wider.

"Seriously?" Mike asked astounded.

"Really."

"I mean... yeah. That sounds good... I really don't feel like being alone either." Mike admitted slowly walking in Nancy's room.

Nancy made her way across the room, sitting gently on her bed and patting for Mike to sit next to her. 

For a moment, both of them sat on the edge of Nancy's bed awkwardly.

Nancy turned to Mike suddenly. "I actually wanted to apologize to you."

"What for?" Mike said crinckling his brow.

"Well last year, before El disappeared, we promised each other no more secrets. And well. we didn't even make it a few minutes did we? But then seeing you and El last night. When she came walking through that door. I realized I've been such a shit sister this last year to you. You clearly had been more upset about El than I even recognized. And I was so withdrawn because of losing Barb that I didn't even realize that you needed me... And I'm sorry." Nancy finished.

Mike had not been expecting that. "You know, this goes both ways. You needed me too for Barb. And I wasn't there either."

"We really suck." Nancy said.

Mike chuckled for a moment. "So let's start over? I think we can both agree that after everything, we are the only two in the house that can even attempt to understand eachother. And honestly I know, a week without seeing El, now that I know she's alive, is going to be so damn hard. So why don't we start now?" 

Nancy sat for a second turning to face Mike, meanwhile sitting cross-legged on the bed. "Yeah. Ok."

"Ok." Mike said turning to sit crossed-legged in front of her too. "Both of us from the beginning then?" 

"From the beginning." Nancy agreed.

And so for the next few hours they stayed like that; sitting across from eachother, and lounging as they talked. 

They shared everything. Every thought, every feeling they each held inside over the whole last year. How Mike felt about loosing El. How told her about how he called El every night, and about feeling her there even after she was gone. Then feeling like he was going mad because of it all. They talked about Nancy and her struggle with loosing Barb, and the visits with her parents. They talked about last night. What happened with Will and what happened in the tunnels. They talked about the conversations Mike had with El. How he kissed her, for the second time. "You dog!" Nancy exclaimed. Mike blushed a violent shade of red.

At some point, Nancy and Mike went from laying across from each other to holding each other through their tears. 

And they grew together. Suddenly bonded closer than ever before. Both of them realizing, as the conversations came to lull after hours of chatting, that never again would they be those bickering rival siblings. They were suddenly inseparable. Because really... You don't go through losing friends and love ones, and through demodog attacks without coming through stronger and closer on the other side.

It was about three in the afternoon, and both of them were still holding each other, laying down in Nancy's bed. The tears long since dried. But both of them felt a comfortable wave of sleepiness wash over them.

"Hey Nance?" Mike yawned.

"Mhmm?"

"I just wanted to say thanks, for what you did about trying to close the lab. I know you did it mostly for Barb. But what you did... it means so much to El. So thank you." Mike said honestly.

"Awh, Mikey." Nancy said flattered.

"But can I ask a question?" Mike asked.

"Sure." Nancy said lazily.

"What's going on with you, Steve, and Jonathan?" He asked.

"So you noticed that huh?" She replied.

"Hard not to." Mike said.

"Well... I broke up with Steve on Halloween when I was really, really drunk. I don't even remember it, but I told him that I didn't love him and our relationship is bullshit. And everything is bull shit..."

"Ouch!"

"Yeah. Tell me about it. And then Jonathan and I went through everything closing the lab and we got really close. We've always been close but then... we hooked up."

Mike stuck his tounge out in disgust.

"And... Oh God. I don't know what I'm doing!"

"So do you like Jonathan then?" Mike asked curiously.

"I do..." she whined.

"And Steve?"

"That's the problem..." Nancy said. "I know I hurt him."

"Oh I see how it is.... Now that I actually like the guy, you go ahead and dump him?" Mike joked to lighten the mood.

"What! No.... it's not like that." Nancy said smacking him playfully.

Mike raised an eyebrow at her.

Nancy sighed. "I really don't know what I want anymore. This is why I miss Barb. She always knew what was best for me or what I should do."

"Well, now you have me. Ok?" Mike said.

Nancy turned in towards Mike squeezing him tightly, and releasing him quickly.

"Besides I've always thought Jonathan's pretty cool... So I guess now, whatever you choose, you can get an unbiased opinion." Mike kindly added.

"Who'd have know, that I got lucky enough to have the best little brother on the planet?" 

Her words may of been teasing, but the sentiment behind them was not, and it made Mike blush.

Thirty minutes later that's how Karen found them. Laying next to each other fast asleep. She threw a blanket over them, watching her children in amazement for a moment before leaving with her head spinning, and wondering if her world had flipped upside down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys there you go! It's been two weeks since I last posted, which it the longest I've ever gone and I apologize for that. 
> 
> Honestly it's been a hell of a while...someone very dear to me got sexually assaulted, and then bullied because the person who assaulted her got in trouble. She was groped, had her ass grabbed, and then the kid and his friends chased her around grabbing her face and called her very mean and hurtful racial slurs. The girl is asian, and yes she can take a joke about it, actually usially shes the one making jokes about her own race, but the way these kids did it was not even close to the realm of ok. She came home shaking and crying. The principle expelled the kid, and then this trashy bitch went around the school spreading rumors around about the girl which got her bullied on top of it. We've had a hell of a time helping her straighten the whole mess out. Finally after 2 weeks we got everything back to normal. But then we got a call from the school telling us they were unexpelling the kid because his mom was pressing charges and the school doesn't have the money to get into a legal battle. So now she has to go to school with the dick again. Don't get me started on how I feel about it because I could go on a tyrant about as long as the chapter I just wrote for you guys. My hearts broken for this girl because I love her so much. But she is slowly healing and I guess in the long run that's what really matter most. But I do want to say this: guys keep your hands to yourself, and if any of you see a victim, don't blame them. If you do, that makes you almost as bad as the person who assaulted.
> 
> Yeah... I'll try to post a new chapter sometime within the next week. But if it doesn't happen, I apologize and at least now you know what's happening in my world.
> 
> So anyways. Much love. Love others. And always be kind.


	16. Finding Friendships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and El get their first batch of alone time, and Will takes the time to try to figure both himself and Eleven out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone!!!
> 
> It's been about three months since I last updated this story, and I wanted to sincerely apologize for that! I promise, I never forgot about you all, nor did I forget about the story. And I figured, I owe you all an explanation of where I've been.
> 
> Truth is, life just got super busy! Last time I updated this, it was a few weeks before finals and I had 95 pages of research due, and 40 pages of labs in Geology, and a presentation, on top of student teaching, soroity stuff, and regular finals to study for. It was nuts! And it was the first time in my life that I had ever honestly/successfully pulled a solid all nighter. Lol.
> 
> Then I meant to post again once summer started, but it's wedding season, and I own my own photography business, so I've been shooting between 1 and 3 weddings every week since summer began, plus helping my sister with 4-H, and my family took a trip to Cincinnati. 
> 
> So yeah... I've literally been writing like five sentences a week for the last three months. Hopefully life will slow down soon though so I can start updating more often again!
> 
> As a side note, one awesome thing that happened to me since I have been away, is that; since I live in Indiana, I went to the Indianapolis Comicon. Which was amazing! I got to see Fred and George Weasley, and drum roll please..... DAVID HARBOUR!! (Aka I got to go to a panel with Hopper!) He is truely incredible and halarious, and entirely the meme he is on Instagram and Twitter. Best moment by far though was when a fan asked him to do the dad dance during the q&a part of the panel. So now I have a video of David Harbor doing the Hopper Dad Dance!!!!!!
> 
> So yeah! Anyways, hope you all enjoy the story!

It was odd, forcing herself to walk back inside the Byers house after watching Mike drive away. 

She felt strangely slow and sluggish. It was almost as if the world was moving in slow motion around her, but yet, it was only like she was experiencing flashes of it, while her mind wandered elsewhere. She stood for a moment watching the car on the street pulling away slowly. She noticed the step on the porch, but it was like her brain couldn't even comprehend what it was doing there. Her body moved forward of its own accord. She noticed the brown tinged color on her white socks, from the dirt, as they passed over the door frame's beam. She noticed the thickness of the door and how it felt cool to the touch. 

The door felt heavy as she pulled it behind her. The house that had felt so cozy and warm last night, suddenly felt stuffy, like the air was baking itself in the sun and becoming harder to take into her lungs. El leaned against the door, yearning for the coolness to overtake her senses. She shivered at the initial contact of her skin against the wood, but quickly leaned hard against the door, pressing as much of herself flat against it as she could.

Despite being able to hear the Byers voices floating into the room from the kitchen; with the absence of Hopper, her friends, and Mike, she suddenly felt so alone. She let her mind flash over the last few minutes in her brain. 

Her eyes were closed as she replayed the memory. She could see Mike's freckles. His pretty eyes, drooping sadly, his teeth lightly chewing on the corner of his lips. 

El let a sigh rattle through her and a hollowness tugged at her insides. She let herself slide down the door, and sit against it. Instinctively, as if gravity would be the only solution to cover the feeling. She was disheartened to discover it did not hide the feeling well at all. It nearly just masked the lonliness. So she drew her knees in close, and pulled them in tight, trying to ease the tingling away. She let her head drop back against the door as a single tear slid down her slender nose.

"Eleven?" A small voice asked.

El's eyes snapped open. A small boy stood in front of her. He looked small, thin framed, and rugged. His hair was wet, dripping slightly. And yet he looked kind.

Prior to entering the room, Will had actually, momentarily forgotten about El's presence. He  was still not used to it. 

After Steve and Dustin had left, and they all had finished the dishes, Mrs. Byers had shooed him off to get a shower. 

"Make sure it's hot!" She had yelled worriedly after him.

Will didn't argue. Actually he felt relieved for an excuse to feel fresh again. He impatiently waited as the water level rose up in the tub. Watching the water, ever so slowly, climb higher and higher. A small amount of steam rolled off the surface of the water, and he imagined it to be tiny clouds. 

He dipped his hand into the water nervously and waited with baited breath. 'When did testing the water for a bath become scary?' He wondered to himself. Almost immediately, Will let out a puff of air. Relieved that he was not feeling as though the eternal flames of hell were licking his skin. Yet, it was skeptically, that he lowered himself down into the tub.

Will's spirits were instantly lifted at the comfort of the hot water lapping his skin. A luxury he did not realize he had missed so much in the last few days. 'Damn monster,' he silently cursed. 

Though the comfort of the warm water was pure bliss, he was in and out of the bath in mere minutes. Of everything Will was coping with today, his hatred of the shadow monster's control over him was the strongest, and Will was honestly pissed that it had made him miss so much of the adventure, again. And he was not about to miss anything else, if he could avoid it. So, he had towel-dried quickly and left the bathroom pulling the shirt over his still soppingly wet head, practically jogging back into the kitchen where he met his mother.

The moment he saw her his heart dropped down in his chest. Mrs. Byers was sitting alone at the kitchen table. The kitchen was already back to its pre-breakfast state, thanks mostly to Jonathan. But the lack of clutter and dishes, made the space feel so open, that it appeared to only make his mother look even tinier in the space, than she already did. 

Joyce was sitting hunched over with her head on the table. Head resting sideways on her arms. Her hair was unwashed and her skin covered in a thin layer of grime, though her clothes appeared clean. Her face was turned away from Will, therefore she had not noticed his appearance, and she let out an unstiffled sniffle.

"Mom," Will said consoulingly, beginning to make his way over to her side of the table.

Joyce's head shot up, and she hurriedly turned away from him trying to wipe off her face.

"Hey there sweetie. How was your bath?" She asked in a watery voice, as she faced the opposite wall. Ever the pretender. Always with the brave face.

"Mom, you don't have to hide this from me."

"What?" Joyce asked guinuinely surprised, and wondering if she heard her son right.

Will may of never of been around for any of his mother's break downs, seeing as most of them happened either with Lonnie, which he hardly remembered; or they had to do with him. But that didn't make him nieve. He had heard his friend's stories about how, "she went crazy when you went missing."

But seeing it, actually seeing it, made his heart sink. He had always seen his mom, as the tiny, kind, warrior. His fierce and strong protector. Which with everything he had been through last year, and even the past few days; that had only been reinforced. And to see her like this... now. It made him worried.

"I'm just saying, you can cry in front of me. If there is something I've learned in the last few days, it's that you're not alone, ok? None of us are. We are here for you."

Joyce looked straight into her son's face, in total disbelief of the goodness in his heart. Tears began to trail down her cheeks again. But, this time for a different reason. 

"Com'ere," she said gently with a smile.

Will did as he was asked, and was quickly being pulled into a hug by his mother. He hugged her back tightly. Realising he needed this hug as much as she had.

"I'm sorry.... Its just..." Joyce voice quieted as she squeezed him closer. Trying to fill the hollow surge that she felt in her heart.

Will thought back to last night, when his mother told him about Bob. None of it still felt any more real than it did last night. Probably because he was out cold for all of it. And a part of him felt guilty about it. 

Had Bob's death actually been a result of him? Just like all those soldiers.

All dead...

And because of him.

That was something he hadn't thought about till just now. He shuddered. 

He really was a monster.

But he couldn't bring himself to voice these new questions. Plus that's not what his mom needed right now.

"He was a good man." Will said stiffly.

His mom pulled away from the hug. Looking in Will's eyes.

Regaurdless of what Will told her, she still felt the need to pull herself together for him. It wasn't like with Jonathan. He was older. They had wallowed in sorrow together, when looking for Will. They had shared grief. 

But Will was still so young. Her baby. And he had just been through so much...

She wiped the solitary tear from the corner of his eye. She saw how noticeably dark his eyes got. Such a contrast from his previous warmth. Joyce suddenly remembered with a chill, how Will sat last night, under the shadow monster's control, tapping morse code. Eyes black and un-seeing. Instantly, she grew worried. Panic overwhelming her sadness. Was the monster still in him? She needed to see the light in his eyes again.

"And I have the most wonderful son," she replied to his previous comment warmly.

Will faked a smile, something his mother noticed immediately, but chose to over look, due to the minimal amount of light returning to his eyes.

But it wasn't enough. She still wasn't reassured. She let her fingers lightly pinch the ends of his dripping hair, smiling softly. "Was the water hot?" She asked seriously.

"Yeah. There was steam." Will replied indifferently. His mood was too dramatically dampened. 'Murder's didn't deserve the luxury of warmth.'

But that was enough for Joyce.

"Well that's good news!" She breathed out the anxiety she had been holding on to. Her son was ok. 

Will faked another smile.

'Well he may not be emotionally ok. But he is not possessed! And that is something.' 

It was a step, and she was going to take it.

For the first time since Bob's death, she felt relieved, and exhausted. Finally, ready for sleep; and after pressing a kiss to Will's cheek, she dismissed herself for bed at 11 in the morning. Calling behind her as she left the room that, "Jonathan is dropping off Mike and Nancy. He should be back soon. If he asks where I am, tell him I'm taking a nap."

Will nodded her out of the room. Silently glad she was going to be getting some rest, but even more glad to be finally alone. He didn't feel up to much today. He felt corrupt. 

For a moment, he stayed standing in the kitchen looking around the familiar room, yet he felt like such a different person, that the room almost didn't feel familiar. He felt like a stranger in his own home. 

He sighed. No longer wanting to be in the kitchen, and he began to walk into the living room. 

It took him a while to walk in. His legs felt heavy as he walked. He felt lethargic.

He heard her before he saw her. The sound of her sob's confusing him for a second. Then, when he rounded the corner, he saw the girl; who he totally forgot was in the house, sitting on the floor against the door. Not hiding her sobs. The noises were tiny, which was surprising, due to how violently her shoulders were shuddering and how hard she was gulping down air. He couldn't see her face, but he could tell by how the skin at her collar bone stretched and moved. He said her name, before he realized he had, and kind of regretted it instantly. What was he doing? He didn't even know the girl.

But somehow, he just couldn't leave her there miserable, even though he, himself didn't feel much better.

A second later, the girl was looking up at him with blank eyes. A look like she wasn't even processing what she was seeing. 

For a moment, she stared at Will. She watched the water drip slowly onto his shoulders, as her brain worked at an insanely slow speed to process who he was, and what he was doing there.

After a pause she replied in a soft, watery tone of confusion. "Will?" 

"Hey El." The boy replied softly, not knowing what else to say.

"You're wet." She stated in minor concern.

"Oh. Um. Yeah... Shower." Will said pointing in the direction of the bathroom. 

'She is so weird,' he thought to himself.

"Cold?" She asked.

"No," he lied. Actually, he was cold. The back of his shirt was now pretty soaked, and clinging to his skin. Every small movement making him hyper aware of the wind passing by him.

He wasn't sure why he lied. He just did, figuring it wasn't worth dwelling on. One look at her face though, was enough to tell him she didn't believe him.

"Friend's don't lie." She said seriously, looking mildly miffed. Tear streaked cheeks and solem eyes, both softening and deepening the level of seriousness she was expressing.

How she knew he lied, he did not know, but it threw him off gaurd. 

'Friend,' that took Will by surprise too. And he felt some of his bitterness sizzle out of him, aware that he had her full attention. "I mean, I'm cold. But it's not a big deal."

El noded, satisfied with the answer. She sighed wiping her eyes, and Will surprised himself again by offering a her a hand, to help her up.

She looked at it in surprise, and then back at him. "What... What are you doing?" She asked, slightly perplexed. 

'Shit.' He forgot how much she didn't know, or at least, according to the rest of the party. "Offering you my hand, to help you up. You're going to join me on the couch. The floor can't be that comfortable."

"Oh," El said, grabbing his hand. 

Will found himself surprised by how soft her fingers felt. He didn't know why, but he had expected her hand to feel rougher, probably because she supposedly could do literal magic with her hands. 

He helped her up with ease and guided her over to the couch. Both of them sitting down next to each other. El lounging comfortably, and Will extremely awkwardly hunched up and staring at El.

"So why were you sitting on the floor, anyways?" Will asked for the sake of something to say. 

"Just... needed cold. Too hot. Sad." She rattled off quietly.

It may not of been a full sentence, but he understood what she meant.

"You miss Mike, don't you?" He asked softly.

El looked back at him and nodded, and Will could see a tear threatening to fall, but she blinked it back, as though it never existed.

Will nodded back. He had so many things that he wanted to ask her. Mainly about her and Mike, but he just didn't have the courage to do so. Nor, did he even know where to start. He also had this feeling that he couldn't shake in his brain that was telling him, 'not yet'. That now wasn't the time. So he looked around the room. Again just searching for something to say. 

His eyes fell on El. And she looked so content; sure a little sad. But all the same, content in the silence. And here he was just cringing at the lack of conversation.

Normally, when meeting someone new he would ask them to tell them all about themselves. But he did not do that today. That just seemed wildly inconsiderate, due to her unusual upbringing. But that really didn't leave him many options.

He listened to the ticks of the clock in the next room. Dying for some sort of sound, idea, something!

"How do you do it?" He had asked it before he had even realized he was speaking. Yet he heard the harshness in his tone an immediately felt self-concious over how he had spoken to her. Momentarily fearing that she'd stand up and flee, like a deer running from a car in the night, but from the words he spoke. 

She did not run, however. She stayed still, looking over in surprise at Will. Her eyebrows crinkled together. And for a second, Will just breathed.

"You know," Will said a lot more softly, and dropping his gaze to his flannel blue pajama pants, "the silence?" 

"Silence?" She asked.

"No noise," Will defined quickly, having seen her ask about words enough times in the last few hours that knew that she did not know what that meant.

"Oh," she sighed this time turning to face Will. "I don't really like it. My whole life has been quiet." She shivered at the memories of the lab, her year in isolation. "At the cabin, I usually always have the tv on." She admitted shyly.

"Yeah, I don't like it too much either." Will paused thoughtfully. "Would you mind if I turned something on?" He asked curiously.

El smiled at him appreciatively, and he got up to go roll the tv back to its usual spot and plug it in, smiling to himself as he did so. That had gone rather better than he expected. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

El had a strange feeling, as she watched Will plug in the tv. This unusual warmth in her chest, spreading. No one had really asked her for her opinion before, except Hopper... but that was usually something like, "carrots or green beans?" It was different, even, from the week last year, with all the other boys. Then, it had been too crazy for opinions to even really matter. 

But that felt so nice. And so real. Like the people talking in tv. She'd never talked just to talk. To chit-chat. She liked it. And that suddenly felt a bit... normal. She smiled to herself, eager to talk more.

Will sat back down on the couch next to El and looked over at her curiously. Some random show was on, but it was too early in the day and he didn't recognize it. "This fine?" He asked her.

Her face lit up again immediately. "Yes!" She said quickly.

Will cast her a glance, and had to suppress a giggle. In the few seconds the show had been on, El's entire demeanor had completely changed.  She had relaxed entirely. Staring at the t.v. obviously hanging onto every word.

"You like this show?" Will asked curiously.

She turned to him. Her eyes wide and bright with life. "I love this show." She confessed to him.

"What's it about?" Will asked, trying to understand the girl.

"It's a love story." She said simply with a shrug, never taking her eyes off the screen. 

Will sat staring at the girl again. She was now perched on the edge of her seat cushion, knees pulled into her chest, tight. She looked so girly at this moment, it was hard to associate the tough girl he had witnessed the previous night. 

For the first time, Will realized that she was just... adorable. He could see why Mike would like her. Although, he doubted that Mike had even had ever had a chance to see this girly side of her. 

He couldn't help but wonder how his friend would even be able to handle it if he saw her this way now. From what he knew about the time they had lived together, they had a lot of other things to worry about, and she had been frightened of everything. 

A part of Will became excited at this revelation. The monster had stolen so much life from him, yet here he was. Living. And, he was living things that his friends had not been able to witness yet. It felt good.

 He turned back to the show reveling in his recent realizations and it was a moment before he became aware of what he was even watching. It was a black and white film. Old from what he could gather. A woman stood dressed in white and she dramatically leaned in to kiss some guy... with tounge. Even worse!

"Yuck!" Will exclaimed before he could stop himself. Then he covered his mouth and giggled. "Sorry Jane," he said casting a glance to her.

She sat staring at him in a confused pout, with a deep crease between her brow.  
   
"What?" Will asked suddenly confused. What did he do?

"Gross?" She asked worriedly.

"Oh yeah. Um, that means-"

"I know what it means." She cut him off abruptly with the slightest an air of irritation. Had he not been so sensitive to others emotions, he probably would of never even of caught the tone shift.

"Oh..." Will replied, still just as lost.

"Why gross?" El asked slowly, after a long pause, very unsure.

"Oh!" Will suddenly understood. "Um. Well I guess it's not... I don't know. I'm just not ready for something like that?" 

"Ready?" El asked even more confused now than she was before. Her brow furrowed further in contemplation.

"I mean. Yeah."

"Why do you... Um. Have to be ready?" She asked.

Will sat for a moment, slowly realizing he was now giving relationship advise. 

'Shit.' He thought. 'So much for not bringing up her and Mike. Guess she is ready after all.' 

"I just mean that I haven't found someone who makes me feel like... I don't know. Like...? Like, I want to give them a kiss.... Because a kiss is a special thing. And if your not ready... it's gross..." he said all of this, completely at a loss  to if he was saying the right thing.

"Oh." El said disappointed. "I'm ready." She confessed. 

Will blinked back at her surprised.

"Is Mike ready?" She asked. Suddenly, El found herself extremely worried. 

'What if Mike wasn't ready. He seemed ready... But what if he wasn't! How would I know. Yet... That's crazy talk. He kissed me first.' Her thoughts began to spiral.

"Hmm." Will coughed a laugh. "Oh, I'm sure he's ready."

"But how do I know?" She asked looking desperate and hopeless all in one blow.

"Jeez.... Well I don't know for sure. I mean, like I said, I've never kissed someone before." They both laughed awkwardly. "But I think if your ready, you just... know. And then it's supposed to be nice and magical and stuff." He said unsure.

El took a deep breath and gave him a huge smile. 

'Guess my answer was a good one then.' Will thought to himself.

"Can I ask you something?" Will said, curiosity had officially gotten the better of him.

El nodded, already turned back facing the TV.

"You and Mike knew each other for a week. How can you guys be so crazy about each other?"

El sat contemplating that for a second before answering. Her head was cocked thoughtfully to the side, and her eyes were downcast to the edge of the couch. 

"He was the first person who was nice to me. He gave me a home. Eggos. Everything. We get eachother." She said. 

She had never really thought about the reasons her and Mike were the way they were; because, ever since they met, it was just them.

"But it's been a year since you guys have even seen each other? How can you be sure that you guys even still like each other, or that nothing has changed? How do you know?" Will pressed on.

She had now turned to face Will. The TV forgotten. "He never stoped looked for me. For 353 days. He never forgot. He loves me." She said so surely, he had to believe her. 

Her directness was all it took to convince him of the truth. 

"Wow." He said a little awed. But still, "Wait, how did you know he was searching for you?" 

"I could see him. In the void."

"Ohhh! That's right!" Will said excitedly. "I forgot you have powers." He admitted. 

El gave him a little crooked half grin.

Will couldn't help it. He felt giddy inside. He was dying to see something. Partly because he almost couldn't believe that super powers were a real thing. The way Dustin and Lucas and Mike talked about it: flipping the van, making Mike fly, closing the gate, making Troy pee himself. It was just, too crazy. But he HAD to know! He had to see it.

All of a sudden he got real nervous, and his throat got dry. "Hey... um. El?"

She turned to him silently.

"I was wondering," he gulped, "could I see your powers?" He asked hurriedly.

For a second, her face remained blank and she looked around.

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want...." He rushed on, his heart sinking a little bit. Maybe she didn't have powers after all. Maybe everyone had just banded together to play a trick on him. Maybe they thought this would be funny. 

"Will," El said laying a hand on his arm. She sensed his worry. 

Secretly, she was excited to have someone ask to see her powers, and not for the purpose of having her fix anything with them. It reminded her of that time when Dustin had asked her to use her powers to make Mike's toy ship fly. She couldn't remember why she had ignored him then, but the memory made her insides warm.

"I want to show you." She said earnestly with a smile.

"You're sure?" Will replied hesitantly. "I mean you are not too tired from yesterday right?"

"Watch." She replied shaking her head. And she closed her eyes. 

Will looked around the room. For a moment, everything was still. He was just about to change his mind on the whole, 'El has powers notion,' when every peice of furniture in the room, began rising into the air. All the chairs, and bookshelves, tables, and the tv; everything really, including the couch that they were sitting on, and began hovering about six inches off the ground. 

"WOAH!" He breathed in amazement. He wildly turned trying to see everything all at once with wide eyes, as everything slowly sank back to the ground. 

El kept her eyes closed, and felt a warm trickle of blood pass out of her left nostril. She was still more physically exhausted from yesterday than she had realized. 

"That was incredible! I mean... Holy Shit! You made everything float! We were in the air!!!" He exclaimed bouncing, wide-eyed, and excited. 

He cast his eyes back towards El and felt his excitment drop dramatically. There was blood coming from her nose, and she looked noticeably more pale and limp than she had a few moments ago. "Jane, are you ok?" He said, leaning over towards her side of the couch, and grabbing her arm.

"Fine," she said tiredly.

"I'm not going to lie... That. Was. AMAZING! But... You didn't have to do all that for me." He said to her humbly, while proceeding to rub her shoulder.

El smiled back at him. "You missed alot. Wanted it to be special!" 

He chuckled. "I mean, it definetly was special. But, you didn't have to hurt yourself just so I could see your powers."

"Not hurt. Just tired... From yesterday." She opened her eyes against her mounting headache, and smiled to hide the pain ebbing away in her temple. "It's ok, Will. I'm ok." She assured him, staring fervently into his eyes.

And he knew it was. 

"Did you wish I did this instead?" She asked teasingly, flicking her head and changing the tv channel, adding a miniscule amount of pain to her head.

"Wow! Seriously? That is so useful! I bet this makes chores so easy!" He said shaking his head still trying to grasp everything he had just seen. "No more though," he ordered her, "rest and recovery today. Hop's orders."

She winked back at him. Something she had learned from Hopper.

They both sat quietly for a while, El resting her eyes to get rid of her head ache, and Will sitting deep in thought about El's powers. Slowly trying to imagine everything the guys had told him she had done. 

He pictured her making Mike fly, and the van flipping over their heads, doors slamming, about thirty government officials bleeding from the eyes and dropping dead on the floor, and Hopper's recollections from last night. Yet try as he might, every scenario, he could only imagine in cartoon style. Even though he had literally just witnessed her powers first hand, he couldn't imagine her making any of those things happen. Not this sweet girl sitting next to him. It just didn't make sense.

It could of been five minutes or an hour to Will when he finally had turned his attention back to the tv.

The new channel El had turned it to was playing some horror movie with a giant monster chasing after some lady as she screamed. 

Will looked over to El sitting next to him, only to realise that she had dozed off and was sleeping lightly next to him.

He looked back at the tv again. He watched as the monster began to grab for the woman, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. He began to gulp down huge breaths of air, and still felt like no air coming to his lungs. He could see the demodog tearing down Castle Byers, and the shadow monster going down his throat. His vision began to get fuzzy.

"NO!" He called out! He was panicking. He was back in the school field and the monster was entering him.

Then everything went black.

The tv turned off instantly, and El was on her knees leaning over Will's arms by his shoulders, and staring down at his face.

"Will? Will?!" El called out frantically shaking the boy. 

'Oh god, oh god, oh god! I failed. The monster it is still in him!' She thought wildly.

"El?" Will croaked out, slowly coming to.

"Will!" El cried in relief, pulling the boy into a quick hug. 

He had only been out for maybe 45 seconds, but after the events of last night, it was still 45 seconds too long.

"You made me worried!" El explained to Will. 

It was about then that Will realized he had slid onto the floor. But the way he was laying on the ground, with her hovering over him was so reminiscent to last year when they met for the first time in the upside down, that it gave him chills and he hurried into a sitting position.

"I'm sorry." Will said. "I'm not possessed. I promise. It's just, the show made me start reliving the monster and the upside down."

El immediately felt for him knowing what he meant.

"The doctors call it PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It happens when somebody lives through something terrible. But eventually I'll be ok." He assured her seeing the sad mix of worry on her face.

"You'll be ok, though?" She asked solemnly.

"Eventually."

The both slowly made their way back up to the couch. El snagging one of Dustin's very poorly folded blankets to cover them as they sat.

"If there is a monster though... Promise, you will tell me." El stated firmly.

"What? Jane, there is no monster." Will said slightly upset.

"I know that. But if it comes back, you tell me right away." She urged.

"There's no-"

"Promise me!" She insisted.

"Fine! Ok. I promise." Will raised his voice durning his promise.

El looked at him, one eyebrow raised suspiciously, but she accepted the promise regaurdless. "Good. A promise can never be broken." She said, figuring he may need to be reminded of that. Just in case.

Will snorted. "Yeah ok."

"So, was it scary?" Will asked her.

"What was scary?" El asked confused.

"Going into the upside down, the shadow monster, facing the demogorgon, closing the gate?"

El flinched at the memories. "It was all scary." She admitted. "But Papa, he is the scariest." 

El became suddenly stony and rigid. And it began to scare Will.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Will said.

"It's ok. Guess I have... SPDT too." El said slowly in her best attempt to joke around, and change the topic.

Will caught on and let her. They could talk about that later on. When they both had, had more time to cope with their problems.

"You mean PTSD," Will corrected with a chuckle.  

"Hey, by the way." Will added after a few minutes. "I never got to say thank you, for all the times you have helped me. Finding me in the upside down, closing the gate. I owe you my life. If it weren't for you, I would of died. More than one time..." Will said awkwardly, never once making eye contact. "So I just wanted to say thank you. For saving my life."

El opened her mouth slowly, and a tear slid past her lid. "You're welcome." She said solemnly. 

She took his hand and squeezed it, and for the first time that day, they both sat content in silence until they dozed off into a drowsy mid-day sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading! 
> 
> Like I said earlier, I am not sure when I will be able to update again. It definetly will not be another three months though. That is a Promise! Anyways, I hope to update again soon, but it'll probably be at least 2 and a half weeks. Could be longer, could be shorter.
> 
> Next several chapters are probably going to be shorter, mini chapters. No particular reason why, other than I think they will have to be for the flow of the story. I may end up posting 2 chapters at a time to make up for the shortness, but that'll all depend on how much spare time I can squeeze writing into.
> 
> Hope you all are enjoying it so far. Feel free to leave comments below! I'm working on reading all of your wonderful comments you guys have left me while I have been away! I really appreciate them all. You guys are so kind and sweet!
> 
> Feel free to let me know if you want to see anything specific happen in future chapters. :)
> 
> Love you all!

**Author's Note:**

> Again thanks for reading. I will be continuing. Since this is my first fanfic, please feel free to comment, critique, review etc. Let me know if you want to see something happen! Ideas are always welcome!


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